


Auction

by LexisMom



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, F/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-07-12 11:00:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 63,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19945078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexisMom/pseuds/LexisMom
Summary: Major Carter is abducted on a world that views women as commodities, and is set to be sold at auction. Colonel O'Neill has orders to rescue her at all costs. When he is forced to buy her at the auction, they are thrown into an alien world where the only way to escape is following its strange customs. What ensues after is their odyssey to overcome the fallout and define who and what they want to become.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Transferring this story over from FF, same screen name, same title.   
> I'm working on fixing any grammatical errors I find.  
> I don't own anything related to the Stargate franchise, I just like to play with the characters.

Colonel Jack O'Neil paced the briefing room like a caged animal as he waited for General Hammond to join them. Around the conference table sat Daniel Jackson, Teal'C, and Dr. Janet Frazier. His second in command, Major Samantha Carter had been taken on their most recent mission. The planet SJX-554, known to the natives as Creeta, could only be described as barbaric.

The settlement they encountered had a patriotical caste system. Men ruled everything, which wasn't uncommon on the planets they've visited; however, their views of women were downright disturbing. The highest caste of women were treated like porcelain dolls. Daniel likened it to the certain extremist religious practices on Earth. The mid-caste of women were working class. They had husbands and families, and traditionally served the highest caste.

Jack could have accepted the society if it ended there, but of course it grew worse. The lowest-caste were women who were unclaimed. These women were either orphans who were not adopted by their sixteenth birthday, women disowned by their fathers, and those caste aside by their husbands. They were rounded up and sold to the highest bidder to serve however their owners deemed appropriate. Unfortunately, Sam had been identified as an unclaimed woman. While the head of state, Omar, had granted her exemption based upon her status as Jack's second in command, the religious leader Zabar had called her an abomination. In the middle of the night, Zabar's forces had snuck into her room and abducted her.

"Sir," Jack stopped pacing as General Hammond entered the room, "permission to go and extract Major Carter."

"We are definitely doing that, Colonel," Hammond told him, "but I want to understand exactly what needs to happen."

"Sam's being put on the auction block," Daniel said, "in exactly one hour."

"Is negotiating for her release an option?" Hammond asked.

"I do not believe so," Teal'c answered. "The people of this planet do not value the same things as you do. The only thing they want is more females."

"It's a society based on human trafficking, sir," Jack told him fighting to keep his voice respectful. All he wanted to do was take an army back and kill anyone who dared to touch one of his people.

"Explain to me again why you didn't just steal Major Carter back before?" Hammond had heard the explanation already, but Jack didn't argue. He wanted to get out of here and back to her as quickly as possible.

"A slave cuff, sir," Jack replied.

"A device that emits an electric shock to me a slave who gets too far away from their master. We had Sam, sir, but once we set foot just outside the city, she was zapped," Daniel explained.

"Colonel O'Neil suffered varying degrees of electrocution as he carried Major Carter back inside the city limits," Teal'c added in his calm Jaffa voice, but Jack could tell he was brimming with anger. He also wished to get back to Carter as soon as possible.

"Bottom line, sir," Jack finished, "we've got to get that cuff off of her wrist or she'll die before we can get her to the SGC. Carter herself said entering the wormhole while being shocked would likely result in death."

General Hammond nodded. "You are to return to the planet and, I cannot believe I'm about to say this, purchase Major Carter. These people have developed highly advanced weaponry and, I for one, would like to avoid a battle with them," Hammond ordered.

"Sir, Major Carter—" Jack started to argue.

"Colonel, while I'd like to avoid bloodshed if at all possible," Hammond held up his hand before Jack could interrupt. "If non-violent options do not work, you are authorized you to extract Major Carter using any means necessary."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said standing up. "Daniel. Teal'C." His two teammates stood up to prepare for their rescue mission.

"Bring her home, son."


	2. Chapter 2

Major Samantha Carter paced the holding cell like a caged animal. Correction, she was a caged animal. Twelve hours ago, four armed men had snuck into her room and abducted her in the dead of the night. The bastards hadn't even given her a fighting chance; they drugged her with something similar to chloroform.

She woke up in this cell with two men trying to remove her clothes. While, they had ultimately forced her to change into this ridiculous outfit, she took some solace in the fact that she had broken at least one man's nose and the other's arm as they fought to restrain her. In the end, they'd thrown the outfit and threatened to shoot her if she wasn't wearing it by the time they returned.

The outfit looked like something women in a harem would wear in a bad Hollywood flick. It was a pale blue color and very translucent. The top barely covered her breasts, leaving a large portion of cleavage showing, along with her entire midsection. The skin of her breasts was visible through the fabric, but her nipples were hidden behind an opaque golden cloth. The skirt hung loosely from her hips with splits running the entire length of her legs. While the material was a darker blue that hid her body, every time she moved the splits revealed large sections of skin. In truth, she'd owned string bikinis that were less revealing.

"Zabar! The Tau'ri will not accept the abduction of their women without retribution!" Omar's voice rang down the hall.

"You worry for nothing, Omar," Zabar's voice was exasperated. "The three men she travelled with have already left. They value the life of one woman no more than we do."

Sam scoffed at his words. Her CO would never leave her behind and neither would Daniel or Teal'c. They weren't just a team, they were a family.

"Sir!" A voice Sam didn't recognize called. "The Tau'ri group has returned. Their leader is demanding to speak with you."

"You see, Zabar," Omar said, "they will not allow you to auction their woman."

Sam inwardly celebrated and cringed. She'd be out of here soon, but the what Omar implied with 'their woman' made her stomach churn. That's all this society thought women amounted to was playthings for men. She'd be glad off this barbaric planet.

"The auction starts now," Zabar said as he strode into the room containing Sam's cell. "You will be sold to the highest bidder," he unlocked her cell and grabbed her arm.

"You can't do this!" Sam yelled at him. "I belong to no man," she struggled against his painful grip.

With a loud crack, the back of his hand smashed across her cheek, snapping her head back. "Silence!" He spat at her, "You will learn your place."

Pain exploded in her head leaving her too stunned to resist as he jerked her forward. His mouth slammed onto hers, his tongue invading her mouth. Gagging on his foul taste, she fought back. When his hand groped her left breast, she reacted by kneeing him in the groin.

Zabar threw her onto the floor as he doubled over in pain. "You'll pay for that," he bit out. His guards rushed forward grabbing her by the arms, forcing her to stay on the ground, but Sam smiled at him, pleased that she had hurt him.

"Try that again and I'll kill you," she threatened. She had never snapped someone's neck before, but she'd love the chance to try it on him.

"Perhaps I'll buy you at the auction," he told her. His voice was laced with pain, but also sadistic hatred. "You won't be able to fight back if you're tied to my bed."

Before Sam could respond, he turned directing his guards, "bring her!"


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you mean she's already at the auction?!" Jack yelled at Omar. "You promised me 24 hours, it's been twelve." He ached to punch the man, but Daniel stepped in.

"Omar, what happened?" Daniel asked gently.

"Zabar heard of your arrival; he thought you had left for good," Omar rushed to explain.

"Oh we're back," Jack seethed.

"I told him you'd return, but he would not listen," Omar bowed his head.

"That is unfortunate," Teal'c said with a terrifying calmness. "Perhaps we cannot avoid bloodshed, O'Neil."

"Please understand," Omar pleaded. "Zabar has the army on his side. I, along with the rest of the ruling council do not approve of his actions. The society you see today stands against everything Anire teaches us."

"Anire?" Daniel asked.

"She is our goddess. She moved on from our planet long ago, but she left texts describing a society based on love and peace, where women were worshipped. Zabar and his extremists have twisted her teachings. As part of the resistance, I am trying to eliminate the auctions and end the caste system, but it must be done slowly. The majority people's minds currently belong to Zabar."

"Jack," Daniel turned to him, "it's not unlike the religious zealots on Earth. Extremists from all types of faiths twist the peaceful teachings to condone their own sick beliefs."

"And I don't care," Jack said grabbing Omar by the front of his shirt. "You are going to take me to Sam, and you better pray to Anita or whatever you call her that Sam's not hurt, because if she is…" he left the sentence trail off. He couldn't handle the thought of Sam being hurt. These psychos had had her for twelve hours already, and he didn't want to think about how much damage they could have done.

"I'll take you," Omar said, "but know that I did post two of my guards by your woman's cell. They are loyal to me, to Anire's teachings. She is unhurt."

"Lead on," Jack gave him a little push.

Omar led them through a series of hallways that opened up into a larger space filled with about fifty men milling around a stage in the center of the room. The sight on the stage made Jack's stomach turn.

Four women stood on the stage, hands tied behind their backs. They were dressed in various ways. Two wore filthy rags and had smudges of dirt on their faces. Their hair was unkept and tangled. The other two women were dressed in clean clothes, but the outfits were incredibly revealing. They had obviously been treated better than the first two, but not by much.

Omar saw his stare and explained, "the first two women are orphans who are now of age; no one has ever claimed them, so the were sent here. The second two are from the middle caste, sisters disowned by their father."

"Where's Sam?" Jack asked him tearing his eyes away from the sight. As much as he wanted to help the women, his second-in-command was their primary objective.

"Jack," Daniel started.

"Daniel, don't," Jack guessed what the idealistic young man was about to say. "We can't afford to interfere, Sam's counting on us."

Daniel merely nodded, but Jack could tell it pained him to walk away from the women. Perhaps, General Hammond could persuade the President to support Omar in his fight against Zabar. Jack would gladly lead the first wave of soldiers.

"Your woman will be the first to be auctioned," Omar nodded toward the opposite end of the stage. Two guards appeared dragging a woman along with them. Jack immediately recognized her golden hair even though he couldn't see her face. Unfortunately, Zabar came around them to stand in front of her. With a loud crack, he pressed a Goa'uld pain stick against her; Sam's cry of pain reverberating through the large space, capturing everyone's attention.

Jack started forward only to have Omar grab his arm, "do not interfere or you'll be ejected from the auction," he warned. "She's uninjured."

"Bullshit," Jack spat as he got his first glimpse of Sam's face. A large bruise darkened her cheek, her lip split underneath. "I'll kill him," he pledged as he watched Zabar's sadistic smile. The asshole was just waiting for another reason to shock her.

Jack's control almost snapped when she raised her eyes; her gaze locking with his. The fear he saw there threatened to break him.

"Sir," Sam called straightening up and trying to take a step forward.

Zabar lashed out with the pain stick, striking her middle. She cried out doubling over in agony.

"Son of a bitch," Jack started forward again, only to have Teal'c grab him.

"You will do Major Carter no good if you are removed," the Jaffa told him. "Bide your time, retribution will come." Jack knew Teal'c well enough to realize the man thought of Sam like a little sister, one he'd protect at all costs. Teal'c spoke the truth, so Jack pushed the need to kill Zabar away and willed Sam to look at him again.

After several moments, she finally lifted her eyes to his again. Once he was sure he had her attention, he nodded to let her know they would get to her. She gave him a brief nod back and straightened to her full height. Zabar waited, wanting her to do something else he deemed punish-worthy. Fortunately, Sam put on her bravest face and managed to look serene. As the men in attendance began to grow restless, Zabar turned from her and began to address his audience.

"Welcome to tonight's auction. I know we called you here on short notice, but I hope our first offering will make you glad you came," he gestured to the guards holding Sam and they pushed her forward. "We have a special treat. For the first time, up for auction is a woman from our highest caste. Now a slave, she hails from a land far, far away. Her people no longer have need for her, and left her to us. I present to you woman P4536."

The crowd murmured loudly as the guards forced Sam up onto a raised platform. Trying to give her something to focus on, Jack held her gaze. "Focus on me," he mouthed to her. Her chin quivered, but the movement was barely noticeable, in fact if he wasn't trained to pick up on intricate details, he wouldn't have seen it.

"As you can see," Zabar leered at Sam, "she is a beauty; filled with fire and spirit. The one who wins her will have much pleasure breaking her."

Jack saw Sam's eyes snap with fire at the disgusting words. Zabar reached for her arm, but Sam jerked away; still she kept her eyes focused on Jack's.

"See what I mean," Zabar laughed, the crowd joining him, but becoming restless. Jack thought he noticed a few men adjusting themselves in his peripheral vision, but he refused to break eye contact with Sam.

"Start the bidding, so she can warm my bed," a deep voice called from behind them.

"You wish, Hallor, you aren't man enough to break her," another voice called, followed by a round of laughter. Before the first man could respond, Zabar held his hands up.

"Fight with you money, not with your fists, gentlemen," he soothed. "Bidding starts at ten gold pieces."

The voice identified as Hallor bid first, "ten."

Another man shouted, "twenty."

Hallor responded, "twenty-five!"

Admiration swelled in Jack as he watched Sam keep it together. He knew she had to be experiencing many violent emotions, but she maintained her serene expression and kept her eyes focused on his.

"Jack," Daniel whispered, "aren't you supposed to be bidding?"

"Wait for it," he told him. He needed to make a statement, ensure that no one dared bid against him.

"Thirty!"

"Thirty-five!"

"Forty!" Hallor made the last bid.

"Forty gold pieces going once," Zabar called.

"Jack!" Daniel hissed.

"Going twice!" Sam merely kept her eyes on his. The trust he saw in them was humbling.

"One-hundred gold pieces," Jack called out and was rewarded with silence, followed by an explosion of chaos.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Zabar shouted.

"You have proof of funds available today?" Zabar asked him. In such a public forum, Jack knew Zabar had to play by the rules and denying his bid was unacceptable.

"I do," Jack said simply, his eyes still locked with Sam's.

"Any further bids?" Zabar asked, but Jack could sense the disappointment when no one responded. "The woman identified as P4536 is sold for one-hundred gold pieces."


	4. Chapter 4

Sam finally broke eye contact with her CO when she heard the word sold. Allowing the guards to lead her away without fighting, she breathed a sigh of relief. They led her to a richly appointed room, lined with colorful fabrics. On the floor were piles of large pillows, draped with soft furs. As she sat down on the floor away from the pillows, Sam shuddered as she thought about all the women who had been dragged to this room after being sold.

After waiting for felt like hours, but she knew was no more than twenty minutes, the door opened and Zabar walked in. Sam immediately jumped to her feet ready to defend herself, but Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c walked in behind him.

"At ease, Major," Jack told her.

"Sir," she nodded, fighting back tears. Her team was here; for the moment, she was safe.

"You have ten minutes to inspect the merchandise," Zabar said before leaving the four of them alone.

The emotions Sam thought she had locked away came flooding to the her will, tears filled her eyes, a few spilling onto her cheeks. Unable to stop, she threw herself into Jack's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. She felt his arms wrap around her, crushing her against him.

"Fellas," she heard him say and felt movement as Daniel and Teal'c exited the room. Thankful that only her CO would witness her breakdown, she mumbled thank you against his chest.

"You're safe," he told her, his hand stroking her hair. "I'm not going to let anyone near you," he promised.

After a few minutes, her emotions back under control, Sam removed her arms from Jack's neck and leaned back.

"One-hundred gold pieces, sir?"

-/-/-/-/-/-

Jack let out a bark of laughter at his second-in-command's resilience. Even with everything she'd been through, she could still give him a hard time.

"I wanted to make a statement," he shrugged. It hadn't escaped him that he still had his arms around her waist. After thinking he'd been too late, he couldn't quite let go.

"I think fifty would have made a statement," she chuckled.

He shrugged at her, finally dropping his arms when she stepped back. Glancing at his watch, he told her, "our old friend Zabar should be back any minute."

As if on cue, the door sprang open. "Out of my way," Zabar shoved Daniel aside, but Teal'c refused to budge.

"This man wishes entrance, O'Neil," Teal'c called to them.

"Let him in," Jack told him, nudging Sam behind him. The look she gave him let him know what she thought about hiding behind a man, but she did it nonetheless.

Zabar burst past Teal'c. "Your ten minutes were up a while ago," he sneered. "She's not undressed," he said in disbelief. "If you change your mind after the funds are transferred, there will be no refunds."

"I'm satisfied," Jack told him, "but I would like to know who struck her and marred the merchandise." He felt Sam shove his back when he called her merchandise.

Zabar bristled, before turning to leave. "Payment is due in full," he demanded.

"Daniel, go pay the man," Jack ordered. "Teal'c," he nodded.

"I will watch him," Teal'c bowed his head and left.

Sam stepped around him, her hands on her hips. "Merchandise, sir?"

"When in Rome," he teased.

Sam shook her head at him and started pacing the room. For the first time, he actually noticed what she was wearing. Her lithe body was on full display, the outfit leaving little to the imagination. While he'd often wondered what she'd look like naked, this reality was so much better than what his mind had created. His eyes lingered on her breasts, her cleavage more ample than he'd imagined. She stopped pacing and turned to look at him.

"Sir!" She protested covering her chest.

"Sorry," he felt himself actually blush at being caught staring. "You gotta admit, that outfit is very—"

"Very what. Sir." her tone warning.

Clearing his throat, he turned away. "Won't happen again," he told her.

As tension filled the air between them a loud boom shook the entire room. Sam struggled to remain standing as Jack reached for her.

"Watch out," he called, pulling her down and tucking her underneath him as large stone fragments rained down from the ceiling. He covered her with his body, taking the brunt of the impacts. Luckily nothing that struck them was larger than a baseball. Pulling out his walkie-talkie, he tried to reach the rest of the team.

"Daniel, Teal'c, come in, over," he released the button.

"We are here, O'Neil," Teal'c answered on the walkie.

"What's going on out there?" Jack wanted to rush outside, but he couldn't leave until the transaction was complete. The slave cuff was still attached to Carter's wrist and he wasn't willing to risk her getting shocked again. And he absolutely wasn't leaving this room without her.

Daniel and Teal'c burst into the room, but something wasn't right. Daniel's hand covered his stomach, blood coating his fingers.

"Daniel Jackson has been shot," Teal'c informed them.

"It's just a flesh wound," Daniel ground out.

Jack scoffed, "Really Daniel? That looks a little more serious than a flesh wound." His tone projected irritation, but that wasn't what he felt. Even though he was extremely worried about his friend, Jack would never let on how much. "Teal'c, take Daniel back to the SGC, I'll finish the transaction," Jack cringed at inferring Carter was a commodity. They'd been on this damn planet too long. "Once the cuff is removed, we'll come through, too."

"I would argue, but I think I'm going to pass out soon," Daniel tried to joke.

"It's okay, Daniel," Sam squeezed his shoulder, "I'll be fine. The Colonel has already accepted the merchandise, he's stuck with me," she gave Daniel a wink.

Jack shook his head at her. Here he'd been worried that she'd be emotionally distraught, but he should have known better. It was one of the reasons he admired her so much; she was tough as nails, definitely tougher than him.

"I do believe the auction is under attack, O'Neil," Teal'c said drawing his attention. "Perhaps from the resistance to which Omar eluded. I saw Zabar flee."

"It may not be so easy to get Sam's cuff removed," Daniel warned.

"Did you pay him the one-hundred gold pieces?" Jack asked, suddenly wary.

"We did," Teal'c confirmed and Jack let out the breath he was holding. "Here are the ownership papers," Teal'c handed him an official-looking document.

"So we'll just find someone to remove the cuff," Jack tried to sound confident, but he felt sick instead. The first time they'd tried to rescue Carter, they had attempted to find someone to unlock the cuff. Apparently, the only people with the key were Zabar and his priests, and according to Teal'c, they'd just fled. They'd also discovered a zat blast did not damage the cuff, something they found on the hard way; or rather Carter had found out the hard way. The cuff had amplified the shock and almost stopped her heart.

Jack glanced at Carter and read her face, knowing that she was having the same thoughts as him.

"We'll figure it out," Sam told Daniel, but Jack knew her smile was forced.

"Jack," Daniel's voice was becoming severely strained. "You got a plan B?"

"I'm working on it," Jack told him, but had absolutely no clue what his next play was.

"Marry her," Daniel erupted into a fit of coughing.

"Excuse me?" Jack was incredulous.

"Married women are protected," Daniel explained once his coughing subsided.

"General Hammond did say by any means necessary," Teal'c reminded him, the Jaffa's eyebrow raised impossibly high.

"Do I get any say in this, sir?" Sam asked, her voice indicating displeasure at being excluded from the discussion; especially considering she was the topic of the conversation.

"Not in this culture," Daniel ground out. "Jack, it might be the only way."

Jack glanced at Sam and noticed the slight panic in her eyes that mirrored his own. "We'll cross that bridge if it comes to it," he told everyone, but more so he was trying to convince himself. The idea of marrying Carter struck a little too close to home. Over the past several years, he'd kept the idea of him and Carter carefully locked away. He knew she shared his feelings on some level; the za'tarc tests had made that abundantly clear.

"Let's go kids," Jack ordered. "Teal'c get Daniel back to the SGC, fill Hammond in. If we aren't back in twenty-four hours, I expect you to bring the hammer down." Jack simultaneously removed his side arm and handed it to Carter. She accepted it, checked the chamber and tucked it into the small of her back. Jack's mind slipped for a minute as he once again noticed her outfit and wondered if the waist band was strong enough to hold the pistol in place.

The movement of Teal'c, half carrying Daniel regained his attention. The duo exited; their ultimate destination the stargate. Jack knew the two men had a good five mile hike ahead of them, but also knew Teal's would ensure they made it. Just as they knew Jack would fight like hell to make sure Carter made it home.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam followed Jack as they rounded the corner, trying to locate what might have served as Zabar's office. Teal'c had given them directions to where they had been taken for the transfer of funds. Unfortunately, once they'd located the room, it was empty.

Loud blasts boomed around them every few minutes, as whomever had attacked the auction set off more bombs. As they passed the stage Sam had stood on less than an hour ago, she took pleasure in seeing it had been blown to bits.

"What now, sir?" Sam asked, wariness evident in her voice.

"Freeze!" A male shouted to their left.

She and Jack both turned; their arms raised. "Easy," Jack said.

"What do you want!" The man swung his firearm around wildly. Sam held her protest as Jack stepped forward and partially in front of her—again.

"I purchased this woman at the auction," Jack's voice was calm, "all hell broke loose after I paid, but before ownership was completely transferred. I have her papers right here," Sam could see Jack make a small gesture toward his vest.

"Let me see them!" The man ordered, thrusting out his hand.

Sam held her breath as Jack slowly reached into his vest pocket and extracted the document Teal'c had given him; the document that legally made her property. Blood boiled in her veins and she wanted to lash out, but she wisely stayed still and silent.

The man seemed to calm down as he realized Jack was one of the buyers and not part of the group trying to liberate the slaves. At least they wern't trying to liberate them yet. Sam had already decided if she survived this, she'd do everything she could to convince General Hammond to let her come back here and rescue the women.

"Her slave cuff was not transferred to you?" The man asked, sounding more in control.

"That's correct," Jack told him.

"I can do that," the man said, "give me your controller cuff."

"Controller cuff?" Jack sounded confused.

"Sir, he means—" Sam automatically started to explain as she stepped forward and touched Jack's forearm.

"Silence!" The man started toward her, his raised hand ready to strike.

"Whoa!" Jack roared as he shoved Sam back behind him and raised his P90 at the man. "Don't you dare touch her!"

The man had the good sense to take a step back looking confused. "But she spoke out of turn and touched you uninvited?" If Sam wasn't so enraged by this man and his society, she'd have found his look of total confusion comical.

"And if she does anything I don't like, I'll be the one to punish her, not you. Got it?" Jack's tone was laced with authority, and the man instinctively reacted to it. Sam however, rolled her eyes. She'd like to see him try and punish her.

"Now," Jack continued, "do I need a controller cuff, or can you just remove her cuff?"

"Why would you want to remove it?"

The sigh Jack released at the man's question could have blown down a building. "Look, son," Jack was using his exasperated, I'm-about-ready-to-hurt-you voice. "Can you remove it or not?"

"No," the man said, "Only Zabar or one of his priests can do that. But," he rushed as Jack took a step forward. "I can switch her cuff over to this controller cuff. That way, she can go anywhere you go."

"Do it," Jack ordered as he turned to Sam. The look in his eyes was one of resignation. "Can you enter the stargate with the cuff on if we have the controller?"

"I don't know, sir," she answered truthfully. "The cuffs and controllers were not intended to work off planet. The Creetions neither use the stargate system nor have star ships. I have no clue what the frequencies of the wormhole would do."

"I was afraid you were going to say that," Jack said sadly.

"Sir, I'd rather take the chance than stay here," she told him honestly. The idea of him having to leave her behind was repulsive. She wasn't willing to risk his life, so him staying with her wasn't an option either. He looked at her for a few moments before nodding, accepting her choice.

"Here," the man approached cautiously with a controller cuff in his hands. The color on hers turned from white to the same green as on the controller. "She's under your control now; anytime she's more than five feet away from you, she'll get a warning." The man moved away and a sharp audible vibration shook Sam's wrist. "Any more than ten feet and she'll get shocked." As the man took another step back, Jack grabbed him.

"No need to shock her," he said pulling the man back within five feet.

"You can also shock her for disobeying by pushing this button," he pointed to a small red orb, but didn't make any move to push it. His fear of Jack outweighing the desire to shock Sam; although the look in his eyes told her he was seriously considering it anyway.

"Got it," Jack said grabbing the controller and turning toward her. Lightly grabbing her arm, Jack ushered her out of the room and down the hall as another loud boom shook the area. Once they were out of sight he offered her the controller.

"Sir, I can't take it," she shook her head, backing up slightly. "Having both of them at the same time would create a closed circuit resulting in a severe electrical shock. It's a failsafe to prevent slaves from escaping."

A look a sympathy filled his features as he snapped the controller cuff onto his own wrist. Sam breathed a bit easier knowing the controller was now in Jack's possession; however, she still felt weird knowing she was unwillingly bound to him. Another thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"Sir, if you're wearing the controller cuff when we enter the stargate, there's a chance you could be killed."

"I'm willing to take that risk," he said as he turned and walked away from her. A sharp warning vibration shook her arm.

"Sir!" She yelled rushing after him, running into his chest with an oomph as he stopped and turned.

"Dammit," his breath woodshed out as he caught her. "I completely forgot, sorry Carter." Instead of letting her step away from him, he reached down and grabbed her hand.

"Sir?" She asked unsure of what he was going to do.

"If we're holding hands, we're within five feet of each other," he explained.

"Good idea, sir," she said looking at their joined hands, but she was anything but fine. Her stomach fluttered at the feel of her hand enveloped by his. She knew they shared feelings for one another, but had never acted on it. This small intimacy was more than she'd ever allowed herself to feel.

"Let's get to the stargate," he gave her a hand a gentle squeeze.

Sam sighed. She had no choice except to follow behind.


	6. Chapter 6

-/-/-/-/-/

Thank you for all the encouraging words! I'm having a blast writing this story.

-/-/-/-/-/

"Son of a bitch!" Jack shouted as he took in the scene before them. Standing no more than ten feet ahead of them was all that was left of the stargate. The loud blasts as they travelled out of the city had been the resistance forces bombing the area. The DHD was completely destroyed and the stargate looked like it was going to fall down at the first gust of wind.

Sam stood next to him, her small hand still in his. Glancing at their cuffs he let out another curse before running his free hand through his hair. "Any danger of the gate exploding?" He asked her.

"I don't know, sir," she replied, but her voice lacked its normal confidence. "Perhaps the bombs they used didn't react enough with the Naquadah. Regardless, we won't be able to use the gate to get home."Her disappointment was evident.

"When Teal'c tries to return in," he checked his watch, "sixteen more hours, they'll realize the gate's been destroyed. They'll dispatch the Prometheus to come pick us up."

"It'll take the Prometheus at least ten days to reach this planet, assuming they don't have to drop out of hyperspace," Sam told him. "I know that might not sound like a lot of time to you, but for me," she let the sentence trail off.

Jack didn't say anything, he couldn't. He'd never known what it was like to be in her position—stripped of her identity, considered a slave, viewed as nothing more than something to be used and discarded. It didn't matter that he felt differently; in the eyes of everyone around them, he owned her. If anything happened to him, she'd be left vulnerable, resold to the highest bidder.

Telling her otherwise didn't make it untrue. That part he did understand. When Ba'al had him, sadistically killing him again and again, Daniel had come as an ascended being to tell him he'd be okay. The sick joke of the universe was that he wasn't okay. He doubted he'd ever be okay again, and that was what he feared the most for Sam. That this experience would create the kind of wounds that never healed.

"Carter, how do women protect themselves, legally, on this planet?" Jack asked, snapping himself out of his thoughts and into problem solving mode.

"They earn a higher caste, I guess, sir," she said with a dainty shrug. With her typical fatigues on, it was sometimes hard to see her feminine side, but in her current outfit—it keep slapping him in the face.

"How?"

"Women can be born into a higher caste or—"

"Or?" Jack prompted, but he already knew the dreaded answer.

"Or marry into it…sir," she said. "During my short time locked up, I only saw two higher caste women who came to look at potential slaves. Neither of them wore a slave cuff," she said softly.

"Only Zabar or his priests can remove the cuff because it's only removed at a husband's request," Jack realized as he sat down on the ground, pulling Carter with him. "Damn, Daniel was right," he turned to look at her. "We have to get married."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Pulling her knees to her chest, Sam let go of Jack's hand and wrapped her arms around her legs. Resting her forehead onto the tops of her knees, she let out a heavy sigh. This mission was going down as one of the worst, and that was with assuming they'd survive.

"Carter," Jack leaned over, nudging her with his shoulder. "It's not the worst idea in the world, is it?"

Sam took a deep breath and forced herself to recall everything Daniel had told her about the Creetion society. The secular leader, Omar, had promised that no harm would come to any Tau'ri women venturing through the stargate, which was the only reason General Hammond had agreed to let her come and run the tests. Once the agreement was signed, Sam didn't think she'd need any of the information in Daniel's reports because she wasn't even supposed to interact with the people. Now she'd give anything to have one of his reports in front of her.

Unfortunately, she knew Daniel well enough to know that he would have only suggested her and the Colonel get married if there was no other viable option. This damn planet had once again stripped her of any semblance of control. Whether she wanted to or not, it looked like she had to get married.

"It's not that," she raised her head to look at him. She knew she shouldn't be blaming him; actually she should be happy he was willing to do something so drastic to save her. She wasn't sure he'd do the same for Daniel or Teal'c. That image forced her to allow a little chuckle to escape.

"Want to clue me in on the joke?" He asked softly.

"Just picturing you asking Daniel or Teal'c to marry you," she told him honestly; drawing a loud half-laugh, half-cough from him.

"That's not quite what I expected you to say," he told her, but his eyes twinkled with humor.

"What'd you expect?"

"I don't know, maybe you imagining giving me a honey-do list? Ordering me around the base?" He shrugged, saying it more as a question than as a statement.

His words caused the momentary lightness to instantly evaporate. She'd be lying to herself if she claimed to never think about getting married. She had imagined waking up next to a husband, having children, doing all the things married couples do. But she'd never allowed herself to imagine doing them with Jack. Imagining a life with him hurt too much because it could never actually happen.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked her. Sam wanted to lie and tell him everything was fine, but he had a knack for reading her like a book.

"Sir, if we just keep our heads down, the Prometheus will get here and I'm sure the Asgard technology on the ship can remove this cuff," she tried to sound confident, but knew she was failing.

"What happens to you if you still have the cuff on and I get taken out of the picture?" He spoke the words she didn't want to think about. Losing him was not an option. Ever.

"I'm willing to take that risk," she said firmly, hoping he couldn't see her fear.

"Well, I'm not, Carter," he said firmly. "We're getting married and that's an order."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he looked appalled at what he'd said. "Carter, I'm sorry," he reached for her, but pulled back his hand before touching her. Looking at his feet he asked, "Is the idea of marrying me really so unpleasant?"

"No!" She responded instantly at the look in his eyes. "It's just the opposite, sir." Sam took a deep breath and tried to put into words how she felt. After all they'd been through, the least she could give him was the truth. "It's the idea of being married to you here, then returning home and going back to not being married that I'm having trouble with."

"Oh," he said, then a stronger, "Oh!," as he realized what she was saying.

"I know we'd just be married here in name only," she rushed to explain further. "But the idea of what it represents, well, that's knocking pretty loudly on the door to that room we left everything in."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Jack stared in surprise at his second-in-command, or rather his apparent future wife—at least on this planet. He couldn't help liking the sound of calling Carter his wife. Everything they'd left in the room she was referring to was starting to escape, and he didn't think he had the willpower to stop it.

"Carter, I—" He knew he was standing at a figurative fork in the road, but what he said next would have literal consequences. Jack opted for a version of the truth. "I know what you mean."

Sam's eyes widened slightly as she took in his words, but she remained silent.

"Unfortunately," he sighed, "we don't have a choice. What do you say we just get through the next ten days or so and we'll deal with our stuff in that room once we're safely aboard the Prometheus."

Sam stared at him for a long time; her gaze hard enough to make Jack squirm. "Okay," she said simply, climbing to her feet. "Let's get the hell out of here and find ourselves a priest."

Taking the arm she offered him, he hauled himself to his feet and brushed the dirt from his fatigues. Looking around them, he took stock of the city to their south, the mountains to the east, and the forests to their north. Empty land lay to the west. The city lay burning behind them, so that wasn't a good option, and the mountains were too dangerous without proper gear—which they did not have.

"People would likely flee into the forrest," Sam said, her thoughts apparently in the same place as his.

"I agree," he held out his hand and waited for her to take it. Once she did, he laced their fingers together. Jack told himself he did it because it was less likely for them to be pulled apart this way, but the truth was he just wanted too. It was a small intimacy he allowed himself. "The first thing we need to do is get you out of those clothes," he told her with a grin.

"Sir?" Her body stiffened at his unusual sexual innuendo.

"Well, yeah, Carter, you're pretty distracting and we need to blend in, don't you think," he gave her a wink. "What did you think I meant?"

Glaring at him, she gave his arm a hard tug as she started walking toward the forrest. "Payback's a bitch, Colonel."


	7. Chapter 7

Sam felt relieved to be in a garment that covered most of her body, even if it was a toga-style dress. They'd come upon a small camp about three clicks from the stargate. The current occupants appeared to have left in a hurry because food burned on a spit as coals in the fire dimmed from lack of being stoked. Luckily, clothes had been left on a makeshift clothesline and they were mostly dry.

Sam had ducked into one of the tents to change while Jack stood just inside with his back to her; maintaining the five foot maximum distance. They'd changed places as he also changed out of his fatigues and into something that would help him blend in a bit better. As they came out of the hut and into the light, Sam bit back an outright peal of laughter.

Jack was dressed in a shirt that hung open from his shoulders to his waist, the opening narrowing until the two sides met at his waistband. His muscular chest was on full display. It looked exactly like what the other men she'd seen were wearing, but it looked so out of place on him. The pants didn't help. They were tight and made of some sort of material that mimicked leather. Riding low on his hips, Sam thought he looked like some sort of medieval pirate. The fact that he held his P90 in front of him, gave him an otherworldly, roguish appearance.

"See something amusing, Carter?" He asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Yes, sir," she said, not even trying to hide the fact that she was staring at how tight his pants were.

"Alright, I guess I deserve that," he said trying to adjust his clothing. "This is one of the most uncomfortable outfits I've ever worn."

"I know the feeling," she said her grin widening. "I did say payback's—"

"Got it, Major," he interrupted, but his voice held no hint of actual irritation.

The sun was slowly fading from the sky and with it came another problem. They had no place to stay for the night. As they changed clothes, staying in one of the abandoned tents was briefly considered. They discounted it; however, because it was easily someplace that could be raided. Without knowing who the camp belonged to, there was no way of guessing possible enemies. Instead, they decided to continue their trek into the woods, hoping to find some sort of shelter for the night.

The sun had completely disappeared by the time they stumbled upon a rock formation. It wasn't huge, but the natural cave looked large enough for two people to be comfortable inside.

"Sir," Sam gave Jack's hand a little tug, "I think we should stop. I haven't slept in almost 24 hours and I'm having trouble seeing in the dark."

"I was thinking the same thing," he said with a sigh. "Let's make camp here tonight. I've got some MREs in the pack," he offered her the canteen first. Sam took several long draws, letting the cool water soothe her parched throat.

Inspecting the cave while staying within five feet of one another proved much easier than either one anticipated. The narrow opening widened into a much larger cavern. The real challenge came when Sam had to relieve herself. It was incredibly disconcerting to pee when your CO stood less than five feet away and could hear everything. Of course, she figured it wasn't much easier for him when he had her plug her ears and hum 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' until he was finished.

Once the necessities were taken care of, they hid the cave entrance with branches and settled down for the night. A fire was out of the question, so Jack pulled out his emergency heat blanket.

"Carter," he said holding up the blanket. "You going to be okay sharing?"

It was the first time, in the many instances they'd had to sleep in close quarters, that he'd asked her if she minded sharing. She thought about giving him a cocky answer, but was too tired to think of one.

"Sure," she said with a loud yawn instead.

Jack laid down on the ground and opened his arms. Without thinking beyond the need for sleep, she sank down into his embrace and used his chest for her pillow. She felt him adjust the blanket over them before closing her eyes and letting blissful sleep consume her.

—/—/—/—/—/—/—/—

Sam jerked away, as a hand covered her mouth and a strong arm gripped her waist, pinning her to a hard body. Panic consumed her as she struggled against the firm hold.

"Carter, shhh," a voice breathed into her ear. At the sound of Jack's voice, her body instantly stilled, finally remembering she was safe. Her eyes partially adjusted to the darkness of the cave enough that she could just make out his face. Nodding her head to indicate she understood his silent command to keep quiet, he dropped his hand from her mouth. He reached to her back and withdrew his pistol and pointed it at the cave opening.

It was then she heard the male voices.

"Zabar wants them found," the first said.

"We're at war, I don't care what Zabar wants! All I want is to go home," The second voice protested.

"Alright," the first voice sighed. "My slaves probably miss me anyway," both men laughed.

At the sound of footsteps heading away from the cave and the fading of their voices, Sam started breathing again. Jack reached behind her and replaced the pistol at her back.

"That was too close," he whispered to her, letting his head fall back against the ground.

"You think they were looking for us?" She whispered back.

"I don't think so, why would he bother with us. Zabar's got his one-hundred pieces of gold. Probably looking for someone who betrayed him," Jack's reasoning made sense, but Sam wasn't so sure.

"I pissed him off pretty good, sir," she told him quietly. "He promised to make me pay."

"He won't touch you," Jack's arms tightened around her. His voice a growl, something she'd only heard on a few other occasions. "I never asked," he's voice softening, "but I need to know. Did he hurt you? Did anyone hurt you?"

Sam knew Jack wasn't asking about her bruised cheek or split lip.

"No," she told him truthfully. "Zabar slapped me around a little, but other than that, no one touched me. In fact, I probably hurt him worse than he hurt me."

Sam heard Jack's breath release in a hiss and his arms tightened around her even more, almost painfully, before he finally relaxed.

"Get some sleep," he told her, "we move at dawn. I want to put as many miles between here and us as possible."

Sam closed her eyes and tried to relaxed. She knew Jack wouldn't be going back to sleep tonight; he'd stay up to keep them safe. He had been right, that was too close. Regardless of who the men were searching for, they could have easily decided to try and kill Jack just to get to her. She couldn't help the shudder that ran through her at the thought.

"Hey," Jack said gently, "you okay?"

"Sorry, sir," she couldn't help as another shudder went through her. "I'm just letting my thoughts get the better of me."

She felt his fingers under her chin, urging her to look up at him. Lifting her head off of his chest, she looked directly into a set of eyes that took her breath away. She'd seen Jack's eyes enraged, sad, happy, afraid, and a million other emotions, but she'd never seen them look like this. His eyes were dark, dangerous, and full of desire. For her.

Her lips parted as he slowly lowered his head, his eyes never leaving hers. He paused when he was a breath away from her, waiting. She didn't make him wait long. Closing the small distance he left, she pressed her lips to his. The fire snapped at that first touch, the feel of him against her more than she'd ever imagined. She felt his hand tangle into her hair, urging her closer as his tongue dipped between her lips.

With a little moan, she shifted her leg over his hips. He lifted her onto him, the hand in her hair moving to her hips. Sam ground her pelvis against his, drawing a moan from him as she felt him harden against her. His tongue, tentatively tasting to this point, thrust between her lips, dancing against hers. She felt his hands move to her thighs and slide the bottom of her toga dress higher, his hands connecting with her skin. She was suddenly aware of how easy it would be to unfasten his pants, finally explore everything she'd kept bottled up. But where they were also came crashing into her mind, and she knew this wasn't how she wanted their first time to be.

"Sir," she tore her mouth away from his, allowing herself one nibble on his earlobe. "Jack," she sighed. "We need to stop."

With a harsh breath, Jack moved his hands away from her, as she carefully climbed off of him and settled back to his side. Sam watched as Jack threw his arm over his eyes and worked to quiet the storm raging in his body.

"I'm sorry," she started, "it's just—"

"Not the right time or place," Jack finished for her. "I should be the one apologizing. It was wrong of me to do that."

"You didn't make me do anything I didn't want to do," she told him, her irritation rising that he'd imply she had no responsibility in what had just happened.

"This blasted thing on my wrist says otherwise," Jack thrust the arm with the controller cuff at her. "I shouldn't be treating you like I—"

"Like you what?" Sam sat up, surprised at how she could go from so turned on to so pissed in just a few seconds.

"Like I own you," he ground out. "Like what you want doesn't matter. Like I'm going to marry you, whether you want me too or not. Like, I don't know," he finally paused. "Like I have a right to you at all, Carter, because I don't. I don't have any right to feel what I'm feeling."

"Jack," Sam gently touched his shoulder, "none of that is true."

All he responded with was a grunt. His eyes were squeezed shut, his legendary stubbornness on full display.

"Dammit, Jack," she shoved at him, her temper flaring, "if our situations were reversed, I'd hog tie and drag you to the alter if it would save your life." She shoved him harder, "And don't you dare say you don't have a right to what you are feeling because it's probably exactly what I'm feeling. Don't you dare cheapen what I feel for you. You might own me on this godforsaken planet, but you do not own my love; it's mine to give to whoever I want."

She gave him one more hard shove before settling back down next to him. Cursing the cuffs that kept them physically close to one another, she turned her back to him. She felt him shift behind her, as he carefully rested one hand on her hip.

"Love, huh?" He said softly after several minutes.

"Shut up," she bit back at him, intentionally leaving off her normal 'sir.' In this instance, she wanted to make a point that while he was her CO, he didn't command this part of her.

He was quiet for several seconds before she felt him sigh and shift closer to her. She couldn't help but snuggle back toward his heat. She may be angry and not like him at the moment, but he still meant a lot to her. Besides, she was really cold. Her eyelids were once again growing heavy when he spoke with amusement in his tone.

"Hog tie? Really?"

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was high in the sky by the time Sam and Jack packed his gear and got walking. At dawn, Jack had taken one look at her and couldn't bear to wake her up. She looked so peaceful with head on his chest, lips slightly parted. Instead, he'd let her sleep well into the morning, convincing himself her body and mind needed the rest.

Neither of them mentioned what had happened in the middle of the night. The door to that room was firmly closed in the light of day. Instead, Sam had merely taken his hand and started walking further into the forrest.

Jack was becoming concerned about their water and food supply. They had one, maybe two days of MREs left, but their water would run out by the end of the day. He'd kept his ears out for the sounds of a stream, but all he heard were animal sounds so far.

The peacefulness of the forest shocked him. After the bombings yesterday, the quietness was a stark contrast. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear they were on a hike in the woods near his cabin back on Earth.

"Sir, listen," Sam jerked him to a stop. "Do you hear that?"

"It sounds like voices," he said hearing a few words carried on the breeze.

"Female voices," Sam clarified with a smile. "I think we need to check it out."

Jack nodded his agreement and followed along, careful to watch for any signs of danger. He figured it was a good sign that they heard women before men, but that didn't mean the men weren't nearby, or that they weren't as nasty as Zabar and his goons.

"Look," Sam pointed ahead of them; a flash of vibrant colored dresses in the distance. "I bet they can help us." She started forward, but Jack held her back. "What?" She asked.

"Proceed carefully. It seems odd for women to be alone, especially with what happened in the city. Let me do the talking," he said before motioning her forward. "Remember what planet we're on."

Nodding, she started forward again, him right behind her; their fingers still intertwined.

"Hello?" Sam called once they were within earshot. Jack sighed heavily, as she ignored what he'd just ordered. It was like Daniel's impetuousness had infected Sam. At least she, being an officer and his second-in-command, should have the good sense to do some recon before charging into a situation.

At Sam's tentative greeting, the three women gasped and turned to flee.

"Wait!" Sam called, "please."

The woman in a red dress stopped, turning around, her head cocked in question. "He lets you speak?"

"Of course," Sam answered automatically, but Jack felt her stiffen next to him as she bristled. "Who are you?"

"I am Bettany," she said taking a step forward

"Bett!" The woman in blue hissed at her. "It could be a trap."

"It's not I swear," Sam said dropping Jack's hand and taking a step forward. "We need your help." She took another step and her cuff started vibrating, the sound audible to everyone present.

"Cater," Jack warned stepping forward and grabbing her hand.

The woman in blue gasped and jump back as a woman dressed in green fled. Bettany, however, took a step closer.

"You wear a slave cuff?" Bettany asked curiously.

"Not by choice," Sam couldn't help her scoff.

"Can you help get it off?" Jack asked gently.

Bettany looked from Jack to Sam several times before responding. "You wish to free your slave?"

"Yes, er, no," Jack paused.

"What he's trying to say is, yes, he wishes to free me, but no, I'm not his slave," Sam explained.

"He's stolen you?" Bettany's eyes widened and she took a step back.

"I didn't," Jack said raising his arm so she could see their matching cuff colors. "Technically, she's mine, but I do not consider her a slave. She is my partner. My equal." He prayed Bettany would understand; hoped Sam's instincts were not wrong.

Loud shouts erupted around them. Grabbing Sam, he tried to figure out where the danger was, so he could shield her from view. However, his stomach bottomed out when he realized they were surrounded by several armed men.

"Wait!" Bettany shouted, running to the man standing closest to them. Catching her around her waist, the man tried to shove her behind his back. "Teegan, no," her voice ordered. "They are here for help. I do not believe him to be a slaver."

The one she called Teegan stared at Bettany for long seconds. Jack couldn't help but think that's how he must look when he stares at Sam trying to decide whether or not to trust her judgement. He usually ended up trusting her.

"Does my wife speak the truth?" Teegan finally asked them.

"She does," Sam answered as Jack groaned inwardly—so much for keeping up the appearance of master and slave. The men surrounding them appeared shocked by Sam's boldness, but Teegan looked mildly amused.

"Does this woman do your talking for you?" He asked Jack.

"Most days," Jack answered with a sigh. Sam glared at him.

Teegan threw his head back and laughed. "My wife speaks the truth, no slaver would admit to such a thing. Come," he motioned them to follow. "Let us see if we can help you."


	9. Chapter 9

As Teegan and Bettany led them deeper into the forest, Jack tried to ignore the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't so much he thought they were part of Zabar's group, but rather that they weren't. Zabar and his breed were obvious in their dislike of women; it would be easy to anticipate their actions. Teegan, Bettany, and the rest of this bunch were completely unknown. Experience had taught Jack to distrust the unknown.

"Sir," Sam asked him as they walked hand-in-hand, "what do you make of them."

"You ask me that, now?" He couldn't help the censure in his tone. If she hadn't charged right up to the women, perhaps he could have gotten a better idea of what they were dealing with.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. Sir." Her tone was clipped.

Instantly regretting his misplaced hostility he sighed. "Carter, you made the right call."

She looked surprised, but but didn't say anything.

"You've been around me long enough to know I get grumpy when I'm not in control of a situation," he offered as an apology. "Anyway, if there's any chance they can get that damn cuff off of you, we gotta take it."

Before she could respond, Teegan shouted a command, drawing their attention. Four guards appeared from various hiding places around them.

"Whoa!" Jack shouted stumbling back as two more guards propelled down from the trees, landing right next to him. With his fingers still entertained with Sam's, he inadvertently jerked her towards him. Unable to disentangle himself from her quickly enough, he fell, Sam slamming into him from above. With a loud oomph, they fell into a mess on the forest floor; Sam letting out a yelp.

"Carter!" Jack quickly rolled her off of him to kneel over her. "What happened?"

"My hand, sir," she said cradling it to her chest now that both hands were free.

"Let me see," he said gently. Taking her injured hand, he turned it over to reveal a deep cut in the palm. Her sharp hiss as he prodded the cut told him she hurt more than she wanted to let on. "It's not too deep," he told her.

"Thank you, sir," she said softly. Taking the hand he offered, she pulled herself back up.

Turning back to the group that had initiated the uncoordinated fall, Jack glared at them. "A little warning would be appreciated next time," he said in his alpha commander tone.

"You do not behave as a slaver, but you also do not behave as a member of the resistance," Teegan approached them slowly. "You show your woman tenderness as if she matters to you, but yet make her call you Sir."

"She does matter to me," Jack told him with a little too much emphasis. "And I'm definitely not a slaver. I take it from this little display," he gestured at the newcomers, "you've got going on here that you're part of the resistance?"

"We are," Teegan answered cautiously. "I am the commander of this resistance unit. And you are?"

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neil, planet Earth," He held out his hand, drawing it back when Teegan just stared at it. "This is Major Samantha Carter, my second-in-command. Unfortunately, everyone else on this planet also considers her my slave. We're hoping you can help with that."

"You have appointed a woman as your second?" Teegan asked with awe.

"You betcha," Jack said. "Wouldn't want anyone else." He sent a quick wink to Sam.

"What type of world would allow a woman to be in such danger?" A man next to Teegan asked.

"One where men and women are equal," Sam said, taking a step forward so she was even with Jack. When Jack just shrugged at them, the other men looked at one another nervously. While they appeared to treat their women with some respect, clearly the idea of equality was foreign to them.

"She's also a lot smarter than me," Jack smirked at them.

Teegan shook his head in disbelief at Jack's admission as Bettany stepped forward to stand in front of Sam.

"My husband fights to free women from bondage, but he doesn't believe that in all things they can be equal," Bettany said. "What other things can women do on your world?"

"Well, I'm a warrior, but I'm also a scientist. Other women are doctors, teachers, leaders, and hold thousands of other jobs," Sam told her. "There really is no limit on what a woman can achieve."

"Your words will make my wife dream of things that can never be on this world,"Teegan told them. Bettany looked like she really wanted to argue, but just bowed her head slightly and walked back over to Teegan's side.

Sam however stepped forward, her anger obvious. "Why not?" She challenged. "You're a leader in the resistance. What are you fighting for if not equality?"

"Easy, Sam," Jack warned. He understood her feelings, but this really wasn't the time or place for this discussion.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I've had it up to here with this male chauvinistic attitude," she bit out at him.

Turning suddenly, he pulled her several steps away before placing his hands on her shoulders. Forcing his own temper down, he spoke carefully, "I understand why you're upset; heck I'm upset, but I don't think pissing off the only people who might be able to help us is a great idea."

"With all due respect, sir, you can't possibly understand how I feel. You've never been treated like a second class citizen," she glared at him. He watched as she attempted to get her temper back under control.

"True, But once we get home—"

"Sometimes I'm treated like a second class citizen at home too, sir," she let out a heavy sigh. "It's subtle, but it's there. A man pinching my butt in a crowded bar. Another one calling me sweetie or honey, instead of doctor, Major, or ma'am. The subtle sexual harassment I've confronted throughout my entire life."

Jack stared at her as she spoke; her words ripping through him. He'd never really considered what is was like as a woman. He liked women, heck he loved women, but he'd never crossed the lines she was describing. Except maybe pinching a girl's backside in high school, or occasionally calling the waitresses at his favorite diner 'sweetie.' Okay, But at least he'd never sexually harassed anyone, right? Unless of course you counted him kissing Carter last night.

Raking his hands through his hair he stared at Sam with a newfound understanding. What was happening to her on this planet was just highlighting all the other inequalities she dealt with every day. Inequalities that he'd never noticed. He should have noticed.

"I don't blame you, sir," she told him. "It's not like I blame all men for what a few assholes have done. This entire situation has just put me on edge. I'll pull it together. I promise, no more inciting the locals," she gave him a sad smirk.

"Carter," Jack wanted her to know he was on her side. Would always be on her side, "when we get back home, and we will get back home. I'm going to personally beat the crap out of anyone who has ever pinched your backside."


	10. Chapter 10

It took more effort than Sam expected to keep her promise to Jack. She found herself wanting to snap at the men around her every time they said something that could be construed as mildly sexiest. Something was definitely going on with her. First, she allowed herself to make out with her commanding officer, she then disobeyed a direct order, and now she's lashing out at the people who might be able to help them. It was like her brain to mouth filter decided to take a vacation.

"What is the purpose of these moronic slave cuffs?" said asked suddenly drawing everyone's attention. There's that brain to mouth thing again, she chastised herself. At least she had lasted a few hours.

"It's designed to control a slave through punishment," Teegan answered. "It also slowly erases the wearer's free will; makes them more manageable."

"Seriously?" Jack asked a horrific look on his face.

"It's like sodium thiopental, sir," Sam explained at his look, "truth serum. A very slow acting, technological-based truth serum. It lowers inhibitions, as well as, leaves the person open to suggestion. I can't believe I didn't feel it before. It would explain some of my recent behavior."

Jack looked like someone had punched him in the gut. Sam knew he was likely thinking about last night and their impromptu make out session. But she'd initiated it as much as he had, hadn't she?

"How long have you worn the cuff?" Teegan asked her.

"A little over two days now," she kept eyeing Jack waiting for him to say something, but he remained stoic.

"Then you are only beginning to feel it's effects. At this stage, the cuff is only lowering your inhibitions. Anything you do is still by your own choice, at least for now," Teegan explained.

"Then what?" She really didn't think she wanted to know.

"After about a week, you'll lose the ability to differentiate between what you want and what he wants," Teegan nodded toward Jack. "The cuff you wear is directly linked to the controller cuff he wears. Even now, it's creating a mental bond between you."

"Can I just take off the controller until we find a way to remove her cuff?" Jack finally spoke, his usual sarcastic tone completely gone.

"It would leave her too vulnerable. As long as the controller is in your possession, no one else can bond with her," Teegan's eyes were filled with understanding at the pained expression on Jack's face. "We do have a way to alter the cuff's effects, but it takes quite a commitment from both the slave and owner."

"I'll do whatever it takes," Jack's voice was gruff. Teegan said nothing for several seconds, and Sam had the distinct impression he was searching for something as he looked between her and Jack. His gaze finally settled on their intertwined hands.

"I believe you will," Teegan finally said.


	11. Chapter 11

The group hiked a few more miles before Teegan ordered them to stop for the night. He instructed the men whose wives had accompanied them to set up camp; the others were to continue on to their village.

"We are only two more hours away, but my wife grows tired," Teegan smiled in Bettany's direction as she worked with the other women to help prepare camp. "Our trip into the city was very draining for her."

"I can't imagine why," Sam snipped, followed by a quick "sorry."

Jack gave her hand a comforting squeeze, but ignored her snarky remark. During the last part of their hike, she had given him quite a bit of attitude by saying almost anything that popped into her head. He didn't know if he should feel appalled or impressed that she'd been able to keep all her thoughts to herself throughout the years. He settled somewhere in between and chose amusement mixed with a hefty amount of guilt. Despite Teegan's earlier words, he felt what had happened in the cave last night was his fault. He'd made a pass at her, plain and simple. A non-semi-bonded Carter would have probably slugged him for crossing the line.

"My wife was liberated from the city several years ago," Teegan told them, bringing Jack out of his own thoughts. "I, too, bought her to save her."

"She doesn't wear a cuff," Jack observed aloud.

"No, I had it removed as soon as I could," he explained. "I just want you to know that I've been through the process, so when I describe what will happen, I speak from experience."

Jack nodded as Teegan motioned his wife to join them.

"I would have Bettany share her experience so you understand the woman's perspective," he said wrapping his arm around his wife as she sat down and hauling her into his side.

"I appreciate that," Sam told them.

"Once the slave cuff begins the bonding process, it cannot be undone. Your bond will be permanent as long as both of you live," Teegan began. "However, There is a way to alter the nature of the bond. Instead of Sam losing her free will and seeking only to fulfill your needs, the bond becomes balanced. It's like joining your souls to become one." Teegan tried to explain, "Besides knowing everything about each other, Bettany and I can share particularly strong thoughts and feelings. There are other bonded couples who can communicate over vast distances."

"Can you influence Bettany to do things against her will?" Sam asked.

"I cannot, nor would I," Teegan said harshly before softening his voice at his wife's touch.

"He speaks the truth," Bettany told them. "See the balanced bonding has been a part our culture long before the extremists took power. They were the one who implemented the barbaric auctions. They took the bonding cuffs, which used to be a vessel for our love and commitment, and turned them into a way to force submission."

"I'm sorry, we didn't know," Jack said softly. The history of what had happened to the women of this world was hard to imagine. He wondered how a society devolved in such a way.

"Women, however, have never been viewed as equals in the eyes of the law," Bettany told Jack, "we've never been permitted to be warriors or scientists," she smiled at Sam. "But we were loved, honored, and respected. There was a time when the thought of hurting a woman was abhorrent."

Sam reached out and took Bettany's hand. Giving them a sad smile the woman looked to her husband. "I was lucky Teegan won me at the auction that day, brought me here and showed me how wonderful a balanced bond could be. That's what the resistance is all about; not just getting rid of the auctions, but returning our culture to one based on love."

"You bombed the auction," Jack said. "Didn't you?"

"We did," Teegan confirmed. "We made sure the women were safe before setting off the bombs. Several of my men helped the women escape into the woods. We'll do our best to help them."

"We've digressed, husband," Bettany told him, "let us discuss what can be done for Sam."

"Of course," he gave her a squeeze. "The only way to alter the nature of the bond is to complete it using a set of original bonding cuffs gifted to us by the goddess Anire. It is said she gifted the first set of cuffs during a time long ago when she walked among us," Bettany explained. "Once the first couple was linked by the cuffs, they gradually learned how to live as one. Upon fully bonding, they no longer needed them; their hearts had taken over."

"How long did it take them to become completely bonded," Jack asked growing impatient.

"Several weeks," Bettany told him.

"But I don't have that long, do I? Not if we want this balanced bond to finish before the slave bond," Sam asked.

"Correct," Bettany said, "which is why Teegan and his followers have found a way to speed up the balanced bond. It can now be completed in as little as three days."

"Really?" Sam and Jack asked in unison. Jack felt a small glimmer of hope and by the look on Sam's face, she did as well.

"Yes," Teegan confirmed.

"Ok," Jack said ready to do whatever needed to be done, "just tell us what to do."

"Teegan and I have discussed it, and we will give you our original cuffs to use; however, you must understand that the process is incredibly intimate," Bettany spoke with emotion. "You will literally be bearing your souls to one another. And the entire process culminates in the fire."

Jack forced himself to ask the question, "what is the fire?"

"It's when the woman finally surrenders her body, mind, and soul into the safe keeping of her chosen—her husband," Teegan answered, but his eyes stayed upon his wife. "There is no greater a gift."

"I'm told that speeding up the bonding process makes the fire much more intense," Bettany blushed a deep shade of red, "but I have nothing to compare it, too. All I can say is that I burned for my husband."

Jack's eyes searched Sam's for any signs of what she was thinking, but she remained quiet. Ironically, this was the one time he wished she'd blurt out everything she was thinking.

"Here," Bettany held out two cuffs that resembled delicate bracelets; they looked nothing like the larger slave and controller cuffs. "I always bring our cuffs when we travel to the city, in case we come upon a couple in need of them. We would be honored if you decide to use them."

Sam gingerly accepted the two golden cuffs from Bettany with a quietly whispered, "thank you."

"I believe you two would probably like some privacy to talk," Teegan said standing up, pulling Bettany along with him. "Just over that hill," he pointed to the north, "is a quiet clearing. This area is safe, so no one will bother you."

"Thanks," Jack said standing. Offering Sam his hand, they started walking in the direction Teegan pointed


	12. Chapter 12

"Sir—" Sam began.

"I need you to drop the formality," he told her as they reached the spot Teegan had described.

"Yes, sir—, I mean okay," she started pacing in circles around him. A million thoughts were fluttering through her head. The most pressing was trying to figure out if the cuffs Bettany had given her would be able to do what they claimed. Of course, the apparently bastardized cuff on her wrist was already doing something similar, so the 'if' it was possible wasn't as important as the why.

"Give me a flashlight," she held out her hand and waited for Jack to comply. She absently realized she'd just barked out an order to her CO, but didn't really care. Her CO was going to become her mentally bonded husband in the near future, so maybe barking out orders was the least of her problems.

Once Jack dug his penlight out of his pack, she held it in her mouth as she searched the cuff Bettany had given her for some sort of controls. Her fingernail scraped over a tiny groove, so she flicked at it. A tiny door flipped open revealing circuits.

"Son of a—" she bit off the curse and looked at Jack. "It's Ancient technology. Look at this."

"Are you telling me that a bunch of Ancients created these bracelets and did what? Decided the humans on this planet needed to psychically bond instead of—oh I don't know—a traditional marriage?" He was definitely as irritated as she was.

"Look at all the other Ancient technology we've found that was halfway developed and abandoned," she shrugged. "Why should this be a surprise?"

"I guess your right," He begrudgingly admitted. "Does knowing this help with our situation?"

"Not really," she sighed. "This technology is beyond what I can do. We may even be dealing with advanced nanotechnology."

When Jack didn't say anything she explained, "we've seen nano-bots change humans on the cellular level before. It's not a stretch to assume they can create some sort of bond between two humans. In other words, everything Teegan and Bettany told us is probably true."

Jack didn't know what to say. Of course he'd do absolutely anything to save Sam; he'd die to save her. But what Teegan and Bettany had described went beyond anything he could have imagined asking her to do. In less than one day, he'd gone from trying to ignore the acute need to be with Sam, to being told that the enthusiasm she displayed last night may have been due to some crazy psychic Ancient bonding thing. Then, no sooner had he barraged himself with the guilt of unwittingly affecting her emotions, he was faced with the reality that allowing himself to be with her may be the only way to save her. 'By any means necessary' had just taken on a completely different twist.

He inwardly cursed himself at how much the caveman part of him longed to claim her as his. His mind also screamed that she was being coerced into doing something else against her will. There had to be another way.

As Jack was fighting the war within himself Sam carefully watched him, trying to get any sense of what he was thinking. They couldn't just plan to get married in name only anymore. What they had to do required so much more. Sam knew that Jack would do anything, anything, to get her home, but she also knew his sense of duty and honor would tear at him. And while he'd willingly enter into the bonding, who knew what the cuffs would do to him if he tried to shield her by mentally fighting against it.

Sam wanted to weep as the reality of their situation began to sink in. This godforsaken planet had taken everything from her, and now it was going to sour what was between them before they even had a chance to explore it. That was what hurt the most; after everything they had sacrificed, she was going to have to sacrifice the idea of Jack ever choosing to be with her just because he wanted to be.

"Sir," she said, then stopped herself. "Jack," she began again, drawing his attention.

"Sam," he looked at her, and she cursed at the pain she saw in his eyes. "I wish we didn't have to do this," he said.

His words crushed her. With the slave cuff stripping her of the ability to keep her thoughts and emotions inside, she couldn't help but lash out.

"Of course you don't! We've been doing the same dance for six years, Jack; if you had wanted to make something out of this," she gestured between them, her hand snapping back and forth, "you would have by now. So it's painfully obvious that, while you care about me more than you should, I'm also being forced on you—permanently. And what's worse is that with this psychic link they describe, I'll know how much you don't want this every single day." Tears streamed down her cheeks and she was helpless to stop them.

"Christ, Sam," Jack closed the small distance between them and pulled her against him, his mouth seizing hers. His kiss wasn't gentle. Pulling back, his hands gripped the tops of her arms.

"Is that what you think; that I don't want you? You're a genius; how could you possibly believe that? I love you so much that it hurts every time I'm near you because I can't be with you! I'd willingly bind myself to you anytime and any place; you don't even have to ask," he pressed his forehead against hers. "The question is, do you feel the same way? If it wasn't for this crazy slaver cuff tech, would you be saying any of this?"

In response, Sam pulled his lips to hers. She put everything she felt into the kiss. She gave him her anger, her fear, but she also gave him her love. Knowing there was no way she could keep the depth of her feelings from him during what was to come, she made the choice to give him everything now. She may not control much, but she controlled this.

His mouth slipped from hers to kiss her neck, hitting a particularly delicate spot just beneath her ear. At her soft moan, she felt him do it again, before raining kisses along her jaw, over her cheeks, then recapturing her mouth.

Sam let herself enjoy the feel of him in her arms, his tight embrace; the strength of him clasping her body against his. She allowed herself to believe him; to believe in them.

"Sam," he whispered against her lips, before sinking back into her for another hot kiss. Her arms, having wound themselves around his neck, pulled him impossibly closer to her.

"Oh god, Jack I'm scared," she whispered, finally pulling back. "I'm not scared about being with you," she clarified at his look. "I'm scared that one day you'll wake up and regret what we're about to do."

"Sam," he cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes. "That will never happen." Reaching for the bonding cuffs she still held in her grasp, he took the smaller one and opened it. She gave him a quick nod and he fastened it around her free wrist. Holding out his arm, he waited while she fastened the larger cuff around his free wrist, the snap of the clasp echoing through the quiet woods.

"For better or for worse," she whispered.


	13. Chapter 13

Dr. Daniel Jackson groaned in pain as the Goa'uld healing device closed the bullet wound in his midsection. He wanted the Tok'ra performing the healing to finish, so he could join General Hammond, Teal'c, and Jacob Carter in the briefing room. He knew Jacob would be itching to get going, so they could rescue his daughter and Jack.

After Daniel and Teal'c had escaped through the Stargate, Dr. Fraiser had immediately taken Daniel into surgery. Upon awaking the next day, he discovered they could not establish a connection with the Creetion's Stargate. Since there was heavy bombing and fighting occurring all around them, it was assumed the gate had been destroyed.

General Hammond had immediately reached out to the Tok'ra high council to find Jacob and tell him what had happened to his daughter. While Hammond had wanted to dispatch the Prometheus immediately, it was instead ordered on a top secret mission. Daniel thought that was actually a bit of good luck. The Prometheus would have taken ten days to reach Creetia; however, Jacob arrived via Stargate the next day claiming to have a Tok'ra ship waiting to meet them on a planet with a working Stargate. This planet was only one day away from Creetia via hyperspace travel.

Jacob had, of course, wanted to go immediately, but Selmac requested they wait for Daniel. Since Creetia was one of the planets the Tok'ra knew nothing about, Daniel was essential to understanding how to interact with the government. That decision led directly to Daniel suffering the pain of the healing device, so he could travel with them as soon as possible. Sam and Jack had already been on the planet without backup for nearly three full days. With any luck, the rescue team would be able to reach them before the the end of their fourth day.

Daniel hissed as the healing device sealed the last part of the wound. "Thank you," he called over his shoulder as he shot off the bed and toward the briefing room.

"Dr. Jackson," General Hammond greeted him as he entered and took a seat.

"May we get started now?" Jacob asked, his impatience obvious.

"Almost three days ago we lost contact with Colonel O'Neil and Major Carter. They are presumably stranded on the planet Creetia," General Hammond recapped. "According to Dr. Jackson, the Colonel was successful in purchasing Major Carter at a slave auction; doing so under a direct order from me," the General added glancing at Jacob. "Teal'c has informed me that you told Colonel O'Neil the only way to protect Major Carter was to, and I quote, 'marry her.'"

"Yes, General," Daniel nodded.

"Do you mind telling me why?" The General asked.

"Well, from what I learned while on the planet, women who are considered orphans and are unmarried are treated as public property," Daniel explained. "Despite Sam being an adult, she was without parents; therefore, an orphan in the eyes of the law. The only other option was finding her a husband. Seeing as I was wounded and dying, Jack sent Teal'c and I back to the SGC. He and Sam could not join us until her slave cuff was removed."

"That's what I don't understand," Jacob said. "Who cares if she had cuffs on? I'm sure we could have found a way to remove it."

"The cuff emitted a severe electrical shock when we first tried to rescue Major Carter," Teal'c answered. "It was reasonable to assume it would do so again."

"That was also the reason Jack needed another way to protect Sam. Once the slave cuff was removed, she would have no longer been seen as belonging solely to him."

"I can't believe we are actually talking about someone owning my daughter." Jacob growled, slamming his fist on the table. "What the hell did you get her into, George!"

"Jacob," General Hammond began.

Jacob's eyes flashed as his symbiote Selmac assumed control. "Please forgive, Jacob, he is extremely concerned about his daughter. As am I."

"We understand, Selmac," General Hammond told her. Closing her eyes, Selmac released control back to Jacob.

"So it's save to assume that my daughter is still on a barbaric planet and married to her commanding officer?" Jacob bit out.

"Jacob, I know what you're thinking," Daniel said, "but Sam and Jack are both professionals. They'll handle themselves accordingly."

"I have every faith in both of my officers," General Hammond agreed.

"Have you not noticed the way that—that officer looks at my Sam!?" Jacob said standing up and walking toward the door. "I don't care what you say, he better keep my daughter safe, and that includes from himself."

"I know he will, Jacob," General Hammond said calmly. "Colonel O'Neil will and has done anything necessary to protect those who serve under him. I also happen to know he and Major Carter have a unique bond between them from the countless missions they've been on. If anyone will keep her safe, Jack will."

Glancing around the table, the General stood up. "Ok people, you know what to do. Let's bring our people home."


	14. Chapter 14

The small group arrived at Teegan's village early the next morning. Sam and Jack had sat up for several hours talking. Neither one was for sure what to expect, but they'd agreed they were in this together. Sam wondered how long it would take for them to start noticing symptoms of the bonding. Intrigued, Jack convinced her to try and read his mind. After making her try for the tenth time, Sam finally told him to go to sleep.

Sam wasn't for sure what to expect once they reached the village, but something out of the the legend of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forrest was certainly not it. Several small cottages had been designed to blend into the forest. Had they not been traveling with Teegan and the other villagers, she would have walked right past. But then, that was the point.

Bettany had shown them to a small cottage slightly away from the others. During their time here, this was the space she and Jack would share. Bettany had also asked several of the women to loan Sam a few dresses. Taking a few minutes to wash up, Sam changed into a pretty red peasant-style dress. Jack also washed up, but opted to change into the spare fatigues he kept in his day pack. She laughed at his look of relief from being back in his own clothes.

Currently, they were on their way to talk to several of the village elders about the bonding process. Teegan met them outside of what Sam considered the community gathering place.

"I trust the accommodations are acceptable?" Teegan asked.

"Very," Sam answered, "thank you."

"So what happens now?" Jack asked.

"Now the elders grant you permission to marry. Assuming there are no objections, we will complete the ceremony this evening, so your slave cuff may be removed," Teegan said.

Wow, that's fast.

"Having second thoughts?" Sam asked Jack.

"What? No," he replied giving her a weird look.

She cocked her head at him, but let it go. Stepping back, Jack let her step through the door first.

Damn, you ass looks amazing in that dress.

"Sir! Jack!" She sprang around.

"What?" He looked surprised and confused at her outburst.

"You just said my butt looks amazing," She told him in a hushed tone.

"No I didn't!" He protested.

"Yes, you did! I heard you," she placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"No I—" his eyes grew round, "thought it."

"That's a little inappropriate, don't you think?" She was still glaring at him.

"Sam," he shook his head at her. "First, we are going to be married by the end of the day, and you're upset I think your ass looks good? And second, you just heard my thoughts, how cool is that!" Jack looked like a kid on Christmas morning. "Can you hear me now?" He asked her.

"No," she said in an exasperated tone, but was slightly disappointed that she couldn't.

"I can see the bonding has already begun," an elderly male voice said behind them. Turning around Sam came face-to-face with three older Creetions. Teegan stood to their right; trying to hide his smile.

"I suppose it has," Sam admitted with a shrug.

"Hello," Jack waved his fingers at them.

"You are correct, Teegan, she is bold," the same elder said.

"Thank you," Sam told him.

"It was not meant as a compliment," he pinned her with a cool stare.

"Hey now," Jack took a step forward, "that's my future wife you're talking about. I happen to like her boldness."

"You are also right about him; they do seem like a perfect match," another elder said. "I am Simao, this is Jalen and Onack," he introduced them. "We are the civilian leaders of this village."

"We are the ones who approve or deny a request for marriage," Simao, the first elder, said, "however it appears that you have already began the bonding process." He cut his eyes at Teegan.

"Fortunately," Onack said, "you appear to be a good match."

"That's good," Jack said, but his voice sounded wary.

"You still must complete the first part of the of the ceremony and allow the gods to assess your compatibility," Onack told him.

"How do we do that?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Come, we will show you," Teegan motioned them all further into the structure.

At the very front of the large area sat two chairs placed a few feet apart, facing one another.

"Please sit," Onack instructed them. He handed them each a white sphere. "These are Creetion truth orbs. They are designed to detect when you are telling the truth, a partial truth, or a lie. In order to gain our approval to continue with the bonding, you must turn the orb green with your answers to each question. The orbs detect conscious and unconscious thoughts, so you may be facing some of your own personal truths and lies as well."

"What happens if we don't pass?" Jack asked.

"Then we cannot approve the marriage ceremony." Was Onack's answer.

"Got it, no pressure," Jack tried to smile at Sam, but she could tell he was nervous. So was she.

"Let us begin," Onack nodded to Simao.

"What are your names?"

"Jack O'Neil."

"Samantha Carter."

Both orbs turned a vibrant green.

"Have you slept with one another yet?"

They both answered "no" and the orbs turned green again.

It was Jalen's turn, "Do you wish to enter into this bond with the other?"

"Yes," Jack's orb turned green.

"Yes," Sam's orb turned green.

"Why?" Jalen asked.

"To save Sam," Jack's orb turned yellow.

"That is a half-truth," Onack told him.

"To save Sam, but also because I like the idea of being her husband," the orb turned green.

Sam eyes clouded as she saw the truth in Jack's answer. He really was bonding with her because he wanted too.

"Sam?" Onack prompted.

"Because I want to be his wife," her orb turned yellow. "Also to save myself," her orb stayed yellow.

"You need to be completely honest with yourself and us," Teegan told her.

"Sam," Jack told her softly, "just tell the truth, I can take it."

"I'm tired of dealing with the rules and regulations, and I think this will be our way of getting around it," her orb still remained yellow. "For crying out loud," she muttered drawing a small smile from Jack at her use of his favorite expression.

"Fine," she huffed, "I really want to experience the fire at the end of the bonding, but only with Jack," she felt her face heat as she spilled her most intimate secret. Her orb turned a vibrant green.

When she finally gained enough courage to look at Jack, he had the biggest, stupidest grin on his face. Then he winked at her and she felt her face inflame again. This was so not the fire she was talking about.

Onack cleared his throat to regain their attention and continued. "What is the one thing you are afraid to tell the other?"

"I think I just answered that," Sam's orb turned green.

"Really?" Jack looked shocked. "You were afraid to tell me you wanted me?"

Sam just nodded. The look on Jack's face was a mixture of incredible tenderness and understanding.

"Jack?" Onack prompted.

"What happened to me while I was a prisoner," his orb turned red.

"Either you are lying or not being honest with yourself," Onack told him.

"Everything that Ba'al did to me while he held me captive," his orb turned yellow.

"Jack?" Sam asked questioningly.

"While Ba'al had me, killing me over and over, I wanted to stay dead. Every time he revived me, my first thought was of you," he looked at Sam, and the sadness she saw made her breath stop. "Eventually, I started dreading thinking about you because it meant Ba'al was going to inflict more pain. At the very end, right before I was able to escape, I started to hate the thought of you," he said softly. "Ba'al sullied the one pure thing I was willing to fight for." Jack's orb turned green as Sam felt a single tear fall down her cheek.

"I don't feel that way now," Jack hurriedly told her, his orb remaining green.

"It's okay," she told him gently. "I understand."

Glancing at the council, Sam realized that they had all been moved by Jack's answer.

"What is the one thing you want the other person to know?" Jalen asked.

"How much I love him," Sam's orb flashed green. Gone were the remnants of pain in Jack's eyes, and in its place was a look of happiness. It did not escape Sam that this was the first time she had said she loved Jack aloud.

"Jack?" Jalen prompted him.

"That what I told her last night was the truth. I'd bond with her even if I didn't need to," Jack's orb also flashed to green.

"You are doing well," Onack told them. "What is your greatest regret?"

"Charlie," Jack choked out at the memory of his son. His orb flashed green.

"Who is Charlie?" Onack asked.

When Jack didn't immediately respond, Sam answered "his son."

"He died several years ago," Jack said sadly. "His death was why I took the first mission through the Stargate."

"Is it safe to say that if Charlie had not died, you would never have met Sam?" Onack pushed.

"Hey!" Sam glared at Onack as she realized where his question was leading, "watch it."

"I only meant to point out that the death of his son set him on the path to you; perhaps some good came from it," Onack reasoned.

"I'd give anything to have my son back," Jack's voice was filled with emotion as his orb turned green.

"So would I, Jack, even if it meant giving you up," Sam's orb turned green.

Jack nodded at her, letting her knew he understood what she was saying. No matter how much she loved him, because of how much she loved him, she'd always wish for the life he could have had with his child.

"Sam, What is your greatest regret?" Onack continued the questioning.

"I don't know," her orb turned yellow. "I think I'm afraid that I haven't realized my biggest regret, yet. What if I didn't take an opportunity because I was chasing something, someone who was unattainable." Her orb turned green. The look on Jack's face told her he knew she was talking about him.

"What do you think is each other's greatest strength?" Simoa asked.

"Her intelligence," Jack said without hesitation, his orb turning green.

"His mind," Sam said, her orb also turning green. At Jack's stunned expression, she just shrugged. "It's your mind that gives you your sense of humor, your compassion, your intelligence. I couldn't pick just one."

"Can I change my answer?" Jack asked and Sam laughed.

"What do you think is each other's greatest weakness?"

"She doesn't have one," Jack's orb turned red.

At the same time Sam said, "he doesn't have one." Her orb turned red.

"Interesting that this is the question where you would both try to hide your feelings," Jalen looked intrigued. "This is typically one of the easier questions."

"Ok fine," Jack said, "it's that she sometimes forgets that those of us with normal intelligence can't keep up with her. I hate always having to ask for a dumbed down explanation." His orb turned green.

"I didn't realize I did that," Sam said trying to hide how much she was angry at herself for not realizing what she had been doing. Unfortunately, her orb turned yellow. "Crap," she muttered, drawing a chuckle from Jack.

"It's okay, Sam," he told her. "I've learned to deal with it." His orb flashed to green.

"I guess deep down I know I'm doing it. I think I use my intelligence as a type of buffer," she said as her orb turned green. Huh, maybe she'd actually learned something from all of this, she thought.

"Sam?" Jalen drew her attention back as she realized she still hadn't answered the question.

She took a deep breath as she realized there was no use in trying to hide. "His stubbornness, especially when he makes a command decision that I question," her orb flashed yellow. "Sometimes he lets things get in the way of his good judgement, but his stubbornness prevents him from realizing it until it's too or almost too late." Her orb flashed to green.

The look on Jack's face was guarded. Sam knew that by revealing the truth, she was questioning his command capabilities in front of people. Given the fact that he was her commanding officer, it was almost crossing a line.

"It's okay," Jack finally said, but his orb flashed red. "Dammit."

"Jack, I'm sorry," her orb flashed green.

"Before we will authorize your marriage, you must work through this," Onack told them.

Jack took in a deep breath and released it slowly. Looking her straight in the eye he said, "I'm not happy about what you said, and as my subordinate it was out of line. However, as my future wife, I want you to call me out whenever you think I'm being too stubborn. Just not in front of anyone in our chain-of-command." He orb flashed green.

Before Sam could say anything, Onack spoke. "We have seen enough," Taking the orbs from both of them and motioning them to stand up. "You two are approved to continue the bonding by completing the marriage ceremony."

"That's it?" Jack asked, taking Sam's hand and exiting the structure. She could feel how tense he was, but whether it was from their conversation or just the situation in general, she couldn't tell. Dang now would be a good time to hear his thoughts.

"For now," Teegan clapped Jack on the back.

Bettany ran to them and pulled Sam into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you," she said.

"If you knew we had to be approved for the bonding, why'd you give us your cuffs last night?" Sam asked her.

"Since you are not from Creetia, we didn't want to risk the council turning you away. Once you began the bonding, it made it much harder for them to disapprove," Teegan explained. "The council is strict, but they are not cruel."

"So what next?" Jack asked.

"Now we get you two married," Teegan grinned.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The Explicit rating applies to this chapter for sexual situations.

Jack winced as Teegan forced more tattoo ink under his skin. This was the next stage of getting married per Creetion law—a permanent mark of ownership. The mark they were tattooing over his heart was identical to the one that was being placed on Sam's left shoulder blade.

"Sam has chosen well," Bettany told him, admiring the design. "The fee-nix is beautiful yet strong."

Jack smiled at her pronunciation of the word phoenix, but he agreed with her assessment. Sam had chosen well.

After their session with the truth orbs, Teegan had led them to a clearing in the woods and explained what would happen next. Creetion law dictated that all married women without a slave cuff must bare their owner's mark; however, the resistance secretly twisted the law by having the woman choose the mark.

Jack had balked at the idea of marking Sam at all; the very thought of it going against everything he believed. Teegan insisted because it was the only way to keep Sam safe. If anything separated her from Jack, the mark would ensure she wouldn't be resold. Despite the solid argument, it was Bettany that had finally convinced him.

"Creetion law may consider it the mark of his ownership, but I view Teegan's tattoo as a mark of mine," Bettany had told him. "He may own my body by law, but I own his heart."

Since Sam didn't seem to object, Jack had finally relented. Sam then immediately asked them to use the symbol of the phoenix and sketched it. "It's us," she told him simply. "No matter how many times I'd thought we were defeated, we always managed to find a way. Even if it meant coming back from death."

"Makes sense," he'd told her. "Besides, this'll beat the heck out of wearing a wedding ring. Always hated those things," he had said as a way of using humor to direct attention away from how touched he was by her choice.

By the look on her face, she knew exactly what he was thinking. With the bonding cuffs it was possible, but she said nothing. Laughing, she stood on her toes to place a quick kiss on his lips. The kiss was over way too soon for his liking; however, there wasn't much more he was willing to do with an audience.

"All finished," Teegan told him, bringing Jack out of his thoughts. At the same time the woman tattooing Sam stood up, indicating she was also done. Sam smiled at Jack, carefully reaching forward to touch the phoenix covering his heart.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Can I see yours?" Jack asked.

Sam stood and gave him her back. Still clutching her partially opened dress over her breasts, she turned and let the back of the dress fall down slightly more. The skin of her back on her left side was bare all the way down to her ribs. Standing out prominently on her shoulder was a tattoo identical to Jack's—a dark phoenix rising out of orange, red, and yellow flames.

Jack felt his throat tighten as he gingerly traced her mark that declared his ownership. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against the mark, causing Sam to gasp.

"Jack," she said breathlessly.

"It's perfect," he whispered in her ear, carefully drawing her dress up and back onto her shoulder. Turning to face him, their eyes locked as he felt a whisper in his head.

_Mine_

The thought was snatched away before he had a chance to realize if it was his or hers. Regardless, the feelings that lingered from it were intense. While he had originally fought against marking Sam, he couldn't help the sense of satisfaction that filled him.

"We need to get married," he said to her, but also to let Teegan know they were ready to proceed. Taking Sam's hand, they followed Bettany to a large tent-like structure that had been erected specifically for them.

"Since those wearing the slave cuff cannot be more than five feet away from the one wearing the controller, the next part of the ceremony must be completed in here," Bettany explained as she pulled back a flap.

Inside the tent, a large curtain separated two areas. Both contained large tubs filled with hot steaming water. Bettany took Sam's hand, while Teegan motioned Jack to follow him. Now on opposite sides of the curtain, they were together, but hidden from the other's view.

As Jack peeled his clothes off, he heard Sam doing the same thing. The realization that she was naked and within arms reach made his body start to burn. Quickly stepping into the tub, he sank into the water, hoping Teegan hadn't noticed his semi-aroused state.

_He's naked. He's right next to me._

Realizing Sam hadn't said that aloud he called to her. "Sam, you okay?"

"Yes," she said, but her voice held a note of something he couldn't place.

_Of course I'm not okay, I'm so turned on it isn't funny._

Jack bit back a groan at her words as his body quickly hardened. Realizing that Teegan had left him alone, he couldn't help lowering his hand below the surface of the water. Grabbing his arousal, he gave it a squeeze and a couple of quick pumps. He bit back another groan as he imagined Sam in the tub with him.

"Jack?" Her voice sounded strangled.

Stopping his hand, he tried to answer her in a normal voice, "yeah?"

"What are you doing?" Her voice quivered.

He felt his ears grow hot at the thought of being caught. Glancing at the curtain, it looked completely opaque. Light didn't even penetrate it. She couldn't know, could she?

"Bathing," he answered her, but he couldn't quite keep the huskiness out of his tone.

"Jack," her voice sounded even more strained. "The bond. I can _feel_ you."

Jack's entire body burned at her words; his already hard erection growing painful as it swelled more. Summoning all of his control, he forced his hand back above the water.

"I'm sorry," he rasped out. His body ached for release, but he wasn't about to finish with her being forced to mentally listen in.

"No," she said, her swallow audible. "Don't stop."

Snapping his head toward the curtain, he drew in a sharp breath.

"Please don't stop," she said again, but this time he heard an urgency in her voice.

Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. He told himself. "Sam, are you—"

"Yes," she said, but it came out as a half-moan. His mind immediately pictured her lying in a tub on the other side of the curtain, her hands between her legs. Lowering his hand back under the water, he began to stroke himself. Letting his mind imagine it was Sam's hand touching him. But then, an image of himself pleasuring Sam, his fingers deep inside her, popped into his brain. He felt how much she yearned for him to be the one to touch her, to tease her until she was begging him to stop. He felt her pleasure.

With a growl he exploded, his entire body shaking from the force of his release. Sam's feminine cry of pleasure was the only other sound. Allowing himself a few minutes to regain focus, he shifted in the tub once the feeling started to return to his legs.

 _Oh my god_ , he heard Sam as if she'd said it out loud. _That was the hottest experience of my life._

"Mine too," he answered her thought.

"What?" She asked.

"That was the hottest experience of my life, too," he chuckled weakly.

"Oh god," she groaned. "This bond thing is going to take some getting used to."

"I felt you," Jack told her after a few seconds. "When you came, I felt it. It was like electricity exploding throughout my entire body. Is it always like that for you?"

"This was so much more intense than normal," Jack could hear the blush in her voice. "But, yeah, that's how it feels."

"Wow," he couldn't wrap his head around it. His orgasms were sharp and pleasurable, but he'd never felt like his entire body was exploding into a million pieces.

The sudden sounds of footsteps approaching had Jack tensing, but he relaxed slightly as Teegan appeared on his side of the curtain.

Bettany's voice sounded from the other side. "We thought you might like a moment of privacy," she said.

Jack's eyes snapped to Teegan's. "You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

Teegan smiled and handed Jack a towel. "It is another stage of the bonding process," Teegan said. "The ink used for your marks was laced with a chemical that increases the strength of the bond. Not only can you hear certain thoughts, but you can now share emotions."

Jack stood and quickly dried off as he thought about being irritated that Teegan hadn't warned him.

"It is important for you to understand that was just the beginning," Bettany said loud enough for Jack to hear her. "Tonight when you initiate the fire, the bond will intensify."

An sudden emotion shot through Jack. It was so sharp that he put a hand out to brace himself against the tub. It was anticipation, arousal, and fear all rolled into one.

"Sam," he rasped out.

"Sorry!" She called over the curtain, her embarrassment at him feeling her emotions obvious.

Forcing himself to stand up, Jack grabbed the ceremonial robe Teegan held out. Sam was right about one thing, he thought, this bond was going to take some getting used to.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The explicit rating applies to this chapter.

The sun was beginning it's descent by the time Sam and Jack emerged from the bathing area. They were both dressed in simple red robes, which according to Bettany and Teegan, were designed specifically for the wedding ceremony; or rather what would happen after.

As they walked hand-in-hand, Sam couldn't help but think about what they'd just done. The intimacy of it shook her. While it had been amazing, it had also been somewhat terrifying. When she'd let go, the full force of Jack's desire had slammed into her. She'd felt everything he had felt, but all at once; the sensory overload making it impossible to distinguish her thoughts and feelings from his.

She pushed her thoughts aside as they rounded the corner and came upon a clearing. The site Teegan and Bettany had chosen for the ceremony was breathtaking; the woods opened up, allowing sunlight to stream all the way down to the forest floor. In the center of he clearing, the three members of the high council, along with Bethany and Teegan waited.

"Welcome," Onack smiled at them. "You are here tonight to complete the marriage ceremony, and submit to the fire; the last steps in the bonding process."

Jalen stepped forward to speak next. "Are you ready to begin?" At both of their nods, he continued. "Please join your hands."

Sam placed both of her hands into Jack's as they faced each another. Her nervousness was rising, but Jack distracted her as he rubbed small circles on the backs of her hand with his thumbs, sending pleasant shivers throughout her body.

"Samantha, close your eyes and open your mind to Jack, let yourself trust the bond you have been building," Jalen instructed her. "Visualize the wall we all innately create around our minds, and picture a doorway forming within it. This door is sacred, it is intended solely for your bonded mate—no one else may use it."

Sam closed her eyes and centered her breathing. She could see the wall Jalen described rising high around her. She'd come to rely on that wall, she realized; used it to protect herself from the love she had been forbidden from feeling for so long. It took several seconds, but pushing the last of the rules and regulations from her mind, she finally imagined the door.

"Now imagine yourself opening the door and invite your bonded mate inside. Surrender your mind to him; trust that he will keep you safe," Jalen kept his voice at a low, soothing tone.

Sam hesitated briefly before imagining her door opening, inviting Jack inside—

There you are, she sighed sensing the warmth of Jack's presence.

"Using your mind, reach out and touch him; allow him to touch you," Jalen sounded farther away; her mind closing him out, knowing he wasn't allowed to be a part of this special place.

Lifting her arm in her mind's eye, Sam brushed her fingers across Jack's jawline. At the same time she felt the backs of his fingers trail down her cheek; without thought she leaned into the caress.

"Samantha," Onack's voice barely penetrated the warm cocoon she had formed with Jack. "Do you promise to willingly surrender your body, mind, and soul to Jack?"

"I do," Sam breathed without hesitation.

"Jack," Ornack's voice continued, "do you accept Samantha's gift to you? Will you always please her body, protect her mind, and share her soul?"

"Forever," Jack said, his voice filled out emotion.

"As you open your eyes," Jalen instructed her again, "leave the doorway you've created open for Jack, surrender to him."

As her eyes fluttered open, Jack leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. No one had instructed him to kiss the bride, but Sam knew it was his way of bringing just a little bit of Earth into the ceremony.

The kiss was sweet and quick, over before it started, leaving Sam wanting just a bit more. The bond between them told her Jack felt the same way.

Bettany touched her shoulder drawing Sam's attention, as she handed her a cup filled with red liquid.

"The final stage of bonding is the fire," Simao said. "During which you will fulfill the rest of your vow by surrendering body and soul to your husband. Drink," he told her.

Sam held her breath as she raised the cup to her mouth, tipping it until the liquid touched her lips. It tasted sweet on her tongue as she took a long sip. Handing the cup back to Bettany, Sam waited for something to happen. After a few seconds, a feeling of disappointment began to form as nothing happened.

"I don't think—" she began, but stopped short. "Oh," she breathed out as an incredibly warm feeling formed and spread outward. It wasn't unpleasant at all; in fact it sort of tingled. "That feels odd," she pressed a hand to her chest, her breasts growing heavy, as her nipples hardened. The soft robe began to feel rough against her sensitive skin.

"Ohh," she said again more strongly as the tingly sensation surged downward. Sam felt liquid heat pool between her legs, as the warmth shifted into a burning need.

"Jack!" She called as her legs suddenly buckled, but he was already there, catching her as she fell.

"I've got you," Jack whispered, holding her tightly against him.

Sam moaned at the feel of his body pressed against her as the throb between her legs intensified. She felt him shift and sweep her into his arms. Sam's vision dimmed as her entire being became centered on Jack.

"Where?" She heard Jack demand, his voice sounding raw.

Sam was vaguely aware of movement as Jack carried her. Her body trembled as he put her down just long enough to remove her robe. She gasped as he scooped her up again; whimpered when she felt him place her on a bed and move away.

She closed her eyes and fought the irrational fear that he'd abandoned her as the fire coursing though her momentarily blocked their connection. But the bed dipped and she moaned at the sudden feel of Jack's hands caressing her skin, pulling her flush against him. As she realized there was no barrier between them, her mind fought to free itself from its dazed state. Her eyes snapped open and locked onto Jack's, as he gazed down at her with burning desire in his eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The explicit rating applies to this chapter.

Jack fought back his own burning need. Whatever was happening to Sam seemed to call out to him; his body screaming for him to claim her. Now. He wanted, no he needed, her as if his life depended on it.

Shaking from the effort of holding back, he brushed her hair away from her face as she nuzzled his hand and opened her eyes.

"There you are," he said as her blue eyes finally focused, her recognition of him evident.

"Jack," she breathed as she stretched against him, her legs slipping over his hip, pulling him against her core.

"We're alone," he told her, closing his eyes against the powerful lust coursing through him. With their bond still intact, he felt the intense fire burning through her as if it were inside him. Jack's control was on a razor thin edge, and he was fighting like hell to go easy.

"Jack," her eyes focused on his, "It burns," her voice cracked. "Please, Jack, I need you," she arched into him, clutching his shoulders.

Skimming his hand down her body, he dipped his fingers between her folds. Her moist heat coated his fingers as he felt himself grow impossibly harder. Using his hand to part her, he slipped a finger inside while his thumb rubbed small circles around her bundle of nerves.

Sam cried out and pressed herself further into his hand as he slipped another finger inside. Jack lowered his head to her breast, his teeth lightly scraping over a tight peak before sucking it into his mouth. At the same time, he curled his fingers inside her, causing her back to arch off the bed, as she cried out his name.

Her head thrashed back and forth as she pleaded with him to fill her, but Jack sensed she was fighting against her own release. He could feel her standing on the precipice, but her body refused to let go, her mind fearing what was on the other side.

His hands keeping up their torment, he leaned forward and captured her lips. Sam, he whispered in her mind, I'll keep you safe.

"Jack, I can't," she clutched at his shoulders, "I'm sorry," she sobbed.

He could feel the fire engulfing her begin to burn hotter, knew it was completely overwhelming her senses. The passion was becoming too much, but through their bond, he knew exactly what she needed.

"Sam," he breathed into her ear, curling his fingers deep inside her, "come for me—that's an order."

—POV—

The heat inside Sam splintered into a million pieces as she clung to Jack, her mind and body obeying his command. Letting wave upon wave flow over her, she shuddered as his fingers wrung out every drop of pleasure from her body.

He shifted over her, nudging her thighs apart to settle between them.

"Jack!" Sam cried out, reaching for him as he positioned himself at her entrance. She couldn't stop the tremors of pleasure that continued to race through her body as the need to have him inside of her created a delicious throb.

"Sam," Jack whispered harshly; his eyes snapping with a fire that rivaled the one smoldering in her own. Sam clawed her way out of the sensual haze as her brain worked to comprehend what he wanted.

She felt the love explode inside her as she realized he was waiting for permission. Despite the bond that made his need as acute as her own, pushing him to claim her, he refused to take her against her will.

Unable to speak past the emotions lodged in her throat she nodded. Lifting her head she seized his lips; putting all of her love and acceptance into the kiss.

Accepting her final choice Jack growled, "You're Mine," as his hips thrust forward, fully embedding himself in her tight, moist heat.

A guttural cry was wrenched from deep within Sam at the sensation of Jack finally inside her. As he began to thrust, the incinerating heat began to recede, in its place a building pressure unlike anything Sam had ever experienced.

Grasping her hips, Jack angled them, allowing himself to go deeper. Increasing his pace, he buried his face in her neck, his lips searing her skin.

With each thrust, Jack hit nerve endings Sam hadn't known existed. "Jack!" She cried out as another orgasm tore through her. With a shout, Jack's body tensed as he released deep inside her.

A blazing wave exploded between them as they felt the other's release. Jack collapsed against her unable to find the strength to hold himself up. Sam wrapped her arms around him as she allowed his body to absorb the tremors in hers. She hazily felt movement as the slave cuff encircling her wrist released and clattered to the floor.

It took several minutes before either one of them could move. Jack finally lifted his head to find Sam's eyes closed, but a satisfied smile on her face.

"You okay?" He tried to ask, his voice raw.

"Yeah, you?" Sam asked opening her eyes.

Instead of answering, Jack gave her a long kiss. When they finally broke apart, Sam let herself revel in the feel of him still inside her.

"That was intense," she told him. "I think—" her eyes widened as she cut off her own words.

"Sam?" he asked raising his head in alarm; his body already hardening again.

"Jack," her eyes darkened with need, "oh god, Jack, I think that was just the beginning."


	18. Chapter 18

Jack's body throbbed as he regained consciousness; every single muscle in his body felt abused and battered, but he'd never been more happy, more satisfied. Carefully brushing blonde strands of hair out of his face, he shifted to the left slightly to relieve the numbness in the shoulder that Sam was currently using for a pillow.

Releasing a gentle sigh, she wrinkled her nose and sank deeper into him. His heart clenched as he watched her brow furrow before relaxing back into sleep. The leg she had thrown over his thighs, shifted slightly north, rubbing against his groin. Biting back a groan, he felt his body begin to respond. Unfortunately, there was no way he was going to be able to do something about it—not after the night they'd just shared.

Jack had lost count of the number of times he'd made love to Sam. Somewhere around the sixth time, his brain stopped caring as his body continued to hardened every time the fire within her called to him. They'd made love on the bed at least four times; more than once with her on top. A memory that was seared into Jack's brain as his wife—oh he loved the sound of that—had rode him in wild abandon. Her head thrown back, her perfect breasts on full display.

They'd also done it up against a wall a few times, on the floor, and this last time sitting on the bed; her straddling his lap as they stared into each other's eyes. Okay, it was definitely more than six times.

Jack couldn't help the shudder that ran through him. He hadn't had sex that many times in one night, in well, ever. In his youth, he might have been able to pull off two or three, but last night he'd literally lasted all night—he felt like a stud.

Of course, he knew the fire thing probably had a lot to do with his body's ability to continually pleasure Sam. But he was also equally in awe of her. Each time she had splintered apart in his arms, calling his name, had been more breathtaking than the last. The bond they shared, which now seemed firmly in place, had allowed him to feel what she felt every time she came.

Yawning, Jack decided he wasn't quite ready to let go of Sam just yet; she felt too good against him. He felt a sense of peace that he didn't know was possible as he wrapped his arms around her and snuggled into her softness. Within seconds he was sound asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Jacob paced back and forth across the deck of the Tok'ra ship. His daughter had been on the planet for four days and he was impatient to get to her. Lord knew what was happening to her.

We're almost there, Selmac told him trying to calm her host. It didn't help.

Daniel and Teal'c came into the room fully geared up. The three of them had debated about waiting until tonight to beam down to the surface. Teal'c had wanted to go in with the cover of darkness to find and rescue his teammates. Daniel preferred going in during the day; his plan to reason with whomever may be holding them. Jacob just wanted to go in with zats blazing. Selmac, dismissed that idea and sided with Daniel. She wanted to get a better idea of what was occurring on the surface of the planet.

Upon coming into orbit, Teal'c had scanned the surface and discovered Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter's bio signatures were separate from the other people around them. Despite it being morning where they were located, Teal'c admitted sooner was probably better than later if his friends were in trouble.

The decision made, the three men stepped into the transport ring, beaming to the surface.

—POV—-

Daniel looked around him as the rings disappeared. Landing in the middle of the forest was not what he'd expected.

"It seems Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter fled into the woods," Teal'c observed.

"It makes sense," Daniel said. "The city was dangerous before the explosions, Jack probably figured they could take shelter here; wait for us."

"Don't forget," Selmac said, "Jack will not be expecting us so soon. The Prometheus would have taken many more days to reach the planet."

Lowering her head, she gave control of their body back to Jacob.

"According to these readings, they're this way," Daniel pointed.

The morning sun was blinding as they trekked through the woods. The tracking device in Daniel's hands began to beep. "They are within 50 feet of us, but I can't tell where yet," Daniel said, looking around him, seeing nothing but trees.

"They are likely in one of those small structures," Teal'c commented. At Daniel's look of confusion, he asked, "Can you not see the small structures built into the forest?"

"Teal'c is right," Jacob said squinting against the sun; they're well hidden but they're there."

Squinting against the sun, Daniel finally saw the outline of something appear. It blended into the background of the forest almost perfectly.

"I believe we should split up and search each structure," Teal'c said as he headed off to the left.

"I'll take the ones on the right," Jacob said as he silently walked away.

"I guess I'll go this way," Daniel muttered to himself as he walked straight ahead. The beeping on his device grew more frequent as it seemed to be finally honing in on his friends' location. Finding a small structure that seemed apart from the others he carefully slipped inside.

The first thing he saw was a large bed; it's blankets thrown rumpled on the floor. As his mind processed the scene before him his mouth gaped open.

Jack lay on his back in the center of the bed with, what Daniel assumed was a completely naked Sam, draped over him. What Daniel could only describe as a sheet was draped over Sam's backside, but her entire back was exposed. The only part of her front that was visible was the soft swell of her breasts pressed into Jack's chest. Jack's arms were protectively wrapped around her, but his face was relaxed in sleep. The scene was serene yet incredibly erotic. There was no doubt in Daniel's mind that had they arrived a few hours earlier, he would have definitely interrupted them.

Unable to stop his voice he said in an incredulous tone, "I told you to marry her Jack, not have sex with her!"

Jack, upon hearing Daniel's voice, came awake with a start, his eyes looking for danger.

"Daniel?" He asked, his tone unsure if his friend was really standing there.

"Yeah," Daniel couldn't help the nervous laughter as he felt his face turn red. This strangely felt like time he'd walked in on his parents having sex.

"Daniel?" Sam's sleepy voice said as she woke up. Apparently not realizing her lack of clothes, she started to sit up.

"Whoa!" Daniel spun around quickly, but not before he caught a glimpse of Sam's body. She was absolutely stunning. She's like a sister, Daniel reminded himself.

"Daniel!" She said more strongly and fully awake. He heard shifting in the bed and assumed Sam was wrapping the sheet around her body. Jack groaned at something, causing Daniel to grimace at the noise. He really didn't want to think about why Jack would groan with a naked Sam next to him.

"You can turn around," Jack said gruffly.

Turning around, Daniel found Sam sitting on the bed with the sheet wrapped around her. Jack was wearing some sort of red robe as he sat next to her. Daniel noticed they were holding hands, but didn't point it out it. Yeah, they were probably aware they were holding hands.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked trying to tame her hair. Daniel tried to not to look at her swollen lips and sex-mussed hair—obvious signs of what they'd been doing.

"Rescuing you," he said with a sigh; he wasn't so sure anymore.

"We get that," Jack said impatiently, "she means how did you get here so fast? We figured a minimum of ten days."

"Oh, right," Daniel rubbed his hand over his head. "Jacob made the arrangements for us to gate to a much closer planet and catch a ride on a Tok'ra ship."

"Define us?" Jack said, a hint of trepidation in his tone.

"Me, Teal'c, and…Sam's dad," Daniel registered why that bit of information may have been important to lead with.

"My dad's here!?" Sam asked sounding panicked. "Jack," she turned to him. "He won't understand, he'll—"

"Hey," Jack lay his forehead against hers, Sam immediately calming. "We'll deal with it. He doesn't have to know about last night," he kissed her, sipping slowly at her lips.

Daniel watched his friends in fascination. He knew he was witnessing something significant, but couldn't figure it out. In all their years together, he'd never seen Jack be openly affectionate with his second-in-command. Sure, they'd flirted, but Daniel has given up hope of Jack actually making a move. Sam was also calling Jack by his first name! While Daniel found her use of "sir" and "colonel" to be overly formal, she'd seemed to do it to put a barrier between them. There definitely wasn't a barrier between them now. But this seemed to be much more than just two people who had finally succumbed to temptation. Jack looked at Sam like a man seeing sunlight for the first time.

"Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c called from outside the structure.

"We're in here," Daniel answered back.

Teal'c came to an abrupt stop as he saw his three friends together. Taking in the sight a big smile spread across his lips. "Perhaps rescue is not needed after all," he said.

Jacob suddenly appeared next to Teal'c, his eyes frantically searching for Sam. Upon first seeing her, Daniel saw the older man's features relax. His daughter was finally right in front of him. She was safe.

That was until he took in the scene as Teal'c had done. His daughter wrapped in a sheet, Jack wearing a robe, sitting next to her on a large, rumpled bed. Sam's obviously kissed lips, the rumpled hair. Jack's look of sexual satisfaction despite the dismay in his eyes as he saw Jacob's eyes darkening in realization.

Glaring at Jack, Jacob said in a deadly voice, "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch!"


	20. Chapter 20

_Ah, shit_ , Jack thought as he watched Jacob connect the dots. He wasn't really afraid of Jacob's threat. He knew the man wouldn't really kill him, but also figured that Selmac would have a more objective view of the situation. Probably.

_You sure about that?_ Sam asked him; her voice in his head.

_Sam? That you?_ He asked as he realized they were actually talking, not just catching snatches of one another's thoughts.

_Yep. Hi Sexy_ , Sam mentally grabbed his butt causing him to jump up from the bed with a manly squeak. Turning to glare at her, he saw her smirk.

_You are going to pay for that later,_ he told her

"Jack?" Daniel looked concerned at his friend's sudden outburst.

"I don't see what's funny about this situation," Jacob turned his glare onto his daughter. His voice startling Jack.

"Sorry, Dad," she said solemnly, but Jack could feel her internal snickering. She thought _his_ reaction to her father was hilarious.

_You've literally faced down the toughest aliens in the galaxy, and my father is who rattles you?_ Sam said genuinely shocked.

_Those guys just wanted to rule the universe. This is Jacob Carter protecting his only daughter! Need I remind you, he literally just caught us in bed together. I feel like a frickin' teenager._ Jack half-heartedly considered pulling Sam in front of him, but decided against it. He wasn't that worried, plus Jacob probably wouldn't see the humor in his son-in-law using his daughter as a human shield.

Taking pity on her husband, Sam tried to give her dad her full attention. "It's not what it looks like," she started to say.

_Right_ , Jack snorted. _That'll work_.

_Not helping_ , Sam told him, as she tried to face down her father. It was one thing to tease Jack for doing it, but it was quite another not to squirm while your dad glared at you.

_Ha_! Jack told her as she tried to find a way to explain why she'd been in bed with him that didn't involve revealing their night of passion.

"It looks like you just got out of bed with your commanding officer!" Jacob growled at her. He was in full-on dad mode.

"Ok, it's sort of what it looks like—" Sam said at the same time Jack said, "Jacob, we're married."

Instead of having the effect Jack had hoped, Jacob's face just turned red.

"Dammit, Jacob, I love her," Jack shouted. Before Jacob could say anything, his eyes flashed gold as Selmac took control of their body.

"First, may I offer congratulations," Selmac said with a smile. "You're father will eventually see the wisdom of this match, but he is too emotionally compromised at the moment. He did spend the last four days imagining the worst type of fate for you."

"Thank you, Selmac," Sam said relieved she didn't have to explain anything. Yet. "I'm sure you are right about, Dad. We just need time to figure things out."

"I am going to go for a walk before my host says something he'll regret," Selmac said, but Jack has the distinct impression she was talking more to Jacob than to them.

As Selmac walked out of the structure, Daniel jumped back into questioning them, "I wouldn't mind knowing what is going on. What happened to the plan? You were supposed to get married, but this," he gestured at the bed. "Not that I'm upset; I always thought you'd be great together, but neither of you would make the first move!"

_Here we go with the Daniel-show_ , jack rolled his eyes internally, causing Sam to giggle at his exaggeration. She felt like her emotions were attached to a yo-yo.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked her, concern etching his features.

"I'm fine," she told him, clearing her throat, as she tried to focus on her friend and teammate.

"Jack?" Daniel asked him, clearly not believing her.

_Don't you dare tell them about last night,_ Jack felt Sam's flush of embarrassment. All their bantering and teasing dropped away as he sensed her vulnerability for the first time.

"Hey," Jack said out loud, reaching for her and pulling her into his arms. Not caring that Daniel and Teal'c watched them, he tipped her chin up so he could see into her eyes. _Last night was amazing; best night of my life. But it's ours and no one else's_ , he gently kissed her lips.

_Thank you_ , she told him, relaxing. _I know we need to talk, but now is definitely not the right time._

"Um, excuse me?" Daniel interrupted their tender moment. "Can either of you tell me what is happening?"

"I believe they are having a conversation, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, finally breaking his silence.

Jack turned to him, but kept an arm around Sam. He just couldn't quite let her go.

"They aren't even talking, they're just standing there making goo-goo eyes!" Daniel was growing distraught.

"Indeed they are," Teal'c raised at eyebrow at them for verification.

"He's right," Jack said grinning at Daniel. "We got this nifty new connection," he pointed to his head as if to help his friend understand.

As Daniel looked at Sam she just shrugged and nodded.

"Holy cow!" He exploded. "How in earth did that happen? Can you read each other's thoughts? What about feelings? How close do you have to be?"

"As much as I'd love to stand here and answer every single one of your questions," Jack said sarcastically, "I'm in a very drafty robe and Sam might want to get out of that bedsheet before she sees her father again."

"Oh, yeah, you're right," Daniel sounded contrite.

"We have brought you each a change of clothes," Teal'c said offering them a day pack. "We were unsure of what you would need."

"You are a life saver," Sam stepped forward placing a quick kiss on Teal'c's cheek as she grabbed the pack.

"We will wait outside," Teal'c said as he ushered a still stunned Daniel outside.

Jack and Sam quickly changed into their own clothes. Jack pulled on a clean pair of fatigues and a black t-shirt, while Sam had her own pair of fatigues and a grey tank top.

Jack glanced at the bed one more time as they turned to leave. Despite the circumstances that brought them together, he wanted to remember this particular room fondly. As a shimmer caught his eye, he leaned down to find the slave cuff that had fallen off Sam's wrist sometime during the night. Turning it over he discovered familiar markings etched on the inside.

Sam's head shot up as the markings flashed from Jack's mind and into her head. Waking over to him, she looked at the cuff and cursed.

"Is that what I think it is?" Jack asked her.

"Yeah," she said as her anger began to rise. "Those are Goa'uld markings. The bonding cuffs are Ancient technology, but the slave cuff is Goa'uld. It explains why the bonding cuffs superseded the slave cuffs."

Jack realized he would typically need to ask Sam why the difference between the cuffs were so significant, but with her thoughts in his head he knew. The Goa'uld were the ones who had turned this society from one of peace to one that practiced human trafficking. They had altered the bonding technology, not the Creetions."

That likely meant that the resistance, the people who had taken Sam and Jack in and helped them, were fighting a war against an enemy they didn't even know existed among them.

"Jack," she grabbed onto his arm as her fear slammed into him. "They were probably bidding on me, at the auction. If you hadn't gotten there when you did."

"They didn't win; you're safe," he said to reassure himself as much as to reassure her. At the idea of a snake buying her, his mind conjured up all sorts of despicable things that could have happened. She could have been—

_Jack, please stop!_ She ordered as the scenarios he imagined crashed through her head; each one worse than the last.

Realizing what he'd just forced her to watch with him he cringed. _Oh god, sorry,_ he clamped down on his imagination.

"The other women, we have to help them," Sam told him, her voice shaking with rage.

"We will." 


	21. Chapter 21

With the new knowledge of what the Creetions were up against, Sam and Jack quickly threw their things together and went in search of their team. It was unlikely that several Goa'ulds could live on the planet together if they were not under the control of a more powerful System Lord, which meant a few of the slimy suckers still needed exterminating.

As soon as they stepped outside, Sam noticed her dad sitting on the ground a few feet away from them.

 _I almost forgot_ , she told Jack. _I need to talk to him._

 _Go_ , he told her, _I'll find Daniel and Teal'c._

Gathering her courage, she walked over to her dad. "Dad?" She asked not knowing if it was him or Selmac.

"Hi, Sammy," he said with a sad smile. "Selmac keeps telling me I'm overreacting."

"Selmac is a smart, um, person," Sam still wasn't for sure exactly how to refer to her father's symbiote.

"What happened, Sam? Did someone force you into marrying him? And I don't mean pretending to be married, I mean what happened in the room before I walked in."

"No dad," she shook her head. "I willingly bonded with him."

"Bonded?" He looked confused. "I thought Jack said you were married."

"It's the same, but yet it's so much more," Sam really wanted to make her dad understand. "Jack's in here," she pointed to her head. "But I'm also with him. It's kind of like you and Selmac, we are with each other, but we don't share one body."

"If that's true," he said as his eyes widened, "I don't envy you. It's hard having someone else know your every thought, even the ones you'd like to keep private."

"We're both starting to find that out," she admitted. "But unlike you and Selmac, we don't share everything. We can talk to each other and share particularly strong thoughts, but I don't know what he's thinking all the time."

"I guess that's good," he shrugged, but Sam could tell he wasn't for sure what to think.

"At the wedding ceremony, when we initiated the final link and I let him into my mind," the memories filled her mind, "it was like being enveloped in a warm embrace. I'm not going into this expecting constant sunshine and rainbows; I know they'll be some bumps. But dad," she grabbed his hand, needing him to listen, "I love him."

"I know you do," he sounded devastated, but he gave her a small smile. "I think that's why I was so angry. I'm worried he's using this situation to take advantage of you."

"Dad," she chastised him. "Jack would never do something like that."

"I've seen the way he looks at you, Sam." Jacob let out a deep breath. Your positive he didn't order you to sleep with him?" He said with a harsh laugh.

Sam flushed at his choice of words as images from the night before flooded her memory.

 _Sam_ , Jack reached out. _Making it kinda hard to concentrate here._

 _Sorry_! she answered, as she tried to push the memories away.

Jacob studied her closely, as if trying to make up his mind. "Are you happy?"

"I'm happy, dad."

"At the end of the day, that's what really matters. It's what I've wanted for you from the very beginning," Jacob reaches forward and pulled her into his arms. "I love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too," Sam said as a weight lifted off of her shoulders. She knew her dad would have to accept what had happened, but he'd just given her his blessing.

"He better not call me dad," he said pulling back, causing Sam to laugh. "And just because I'm accepting this, doesn't mean I'm not reserving judgement; father's prerogative." Jacob's smile was devilish. "He might need reminded that I technically still outrank him."

—-POV—-

Jack sensed the moment Sam arrived as a tingling sensation tickled the back of his head. Allowing himself a moment to enjoy the feeling of having her nearby again, he returned to the task at hand.

Jack had been surprised at how easy it was to explain what a Goa'uld was to him and Bethany. As soon as he likened it to a forced bond, they'd recoiled in disgust. Teegan had immediately provided them with a map of the city as they'd identified all the possible locations Goa'ulds would choose to infest.

"Samantha," Bettany nodded in greeting. "I trust you are well after completing your bond?"

Jack found Sam's pinking cheeks adorable as she quickly told Bettany yes. Of course, he hid his smile as Jacob joined the group. He knew her father had would ultimately accept their bond, but very begrudgingly. The scowl on the man's face told Jack there would be hell to pay before all was said and done.

"You wanna catch her up to speed?" Daniel asked Jack.

"No need," Sam said pointing to her head. "I've already got it."

"Right," Daniel drew out the word. "That's gonna take some getting used to."

"Zabar would seem to be the most obvious choice for a Goa'uld," Teegan said, drawing everyone's attention.

"Except that I didn't sense a symbiote," Sam told him.

"You can do that?" Teegan seemed shocked.

"I can, ever since I was blended with the Tok'ra Jolinar," Sam answered, "but considering the cuff blocked some of my other senses, it is possible I missed it."

"I do not believe Zabar is a Goa'uld either," Teal'c interjected. "Since I have not been affected by any technology, my ability to sense a symbiote would not have been affected."

"The most obvious place a snake would hide is in the palace," Jack said pointing to the palace in center of the map. "They can't change their innate nature to be worshipped, so it's most logical that they'd take over someone with power. I'd bet dollars to donuts we'll find the main control unit for the slave cuffs there, too. Carter can rig an electromagnetic pulse to emit from the slave cuff that should render the Goa'uld crystal assembly inoperable."

Jack looked up as no one said anything and into several stunned faces. The only two who didn't seem amazed were Teegan and Bettany.

"What?" He asked confused by their reaction.

"Electromagnetic pulse? Render inoperable?" Daniel said.

"Hey!" Jack protested. "I listen; I know things!"

Sam smothered a chuckle next to him.

"It is odd to hear you explain the scientific part of the plan, O'Neill," Teal'c told him.

"Fine," Jack gestured to Sam, "would you please continue." He was irritated at his friends, but could also understand their reaction.

"As Jack said, an electromagnetic pulse should disrupt the signals that power the Goa'uld cuffs, as long as it's emitted near the main control unit. The Ancient cuffs should be safe, as their technology is not sensitive to electromagnetic energy. It'll take me a few hours to rig the pulse," Sam explained.

"How are we going to get into the palace?" Daniel asked. "I doubt they'll just let us walk in."

"They'll let Jack and Samantha walk in," Teegan interjected. "As far as they are concerned, you are her owner."

"He is right, O'Neill," Teal'c agreed. "Zabar and Omar are the only two who know you bid on Major Carter to save her. Omar appears to be sympathetic toward the resistance; therefore, Zabar would be the only person you need to avoid."

 _Jack, this may be the only way_ , Sam told him.

 _I know_ , he sighed heavily, _but I don't like the idea of you_ _being anywhere near the city_.

 _If this were any other mission, you wouldn't hesitate to carry out the plan,_ she mentally nudged him.

 _It's different now; we are different now_ , he knew that argument wasn't going to fly.

 _I'm still a Major in the US Air Force and you are still my_ _CO. You might be my husband, but we both have jobs to_ _do_.

Jack knew she was right. It was a long shot to even hope both of them would remain on SG-1 after everything that had happened, but if there was any chance, they needed to begin by figuring out how to get the job done.

"Carter and I will go in undercover," Jack told the group. "Daniel, you and Teal'c will find cover somewhere around the palace, if there are any signs of trouble, come in with zats blazing."

At his teammates nods, Jack continued. "Teegan, Bettany; you two spread the word about what is going down tomorrow. Prepare as many people as you can. Once the slave cuffs are useless, there is bound to be chaos. Jacob," he turned to him. "I want you on the Tok'ra ship. Have the rings on standby. Do what you need to do to get my people out of there if things go south."

Jacob nodded, but Jack could tell he loathed the idea of Sam going undercover. Being a military man, however, Jacob also knew this was the best plan.

"You know your assignments; let's get this done so we can go home."


	22. Chapter 22

Sam resisted the urge to pull at the top of her slave outfit as she followed Jack through the woods at the edge of the city. She was thankful Daniel and Teal'c had left earlier to find a good position to covertly watch because she didn't have to deal with them trying not to look at her. Of course they'd be professional, but it was still embarrassing for men she considered brothers to see her half naked.

Luckily, the journey back had been much quicker with the aid of the transport rings, and it had taken Sam less time than she'd anticipated to rig the slave cuff to emit an electromagnetic pulse. The cuff was securely attached to her arm, but could easily be removed at any time; however, if Jack had to pretend to punish her, it would only emit a static electricity shock to her arm. Everyone was counting on her acting skills if need be. Yeah, no pressure at all.

"How are you doing?" Jack asked her, his concern flittered across her mind.

"Fine," she replied and internally cringed as she realized he recognize that as a lie.

As Jack sighed and took her hand, leading her behind two large trees. She tried to pull her free, afraid someone would see. Teegan has given them a brief tutorial on what was and was not acceptable in the city. A master holding his slave's hand would most definitely draw attention.

Jack stopped, but refused to release her hand. "We're still outside the city. I think we need to talk before we go any further."

"You want to talk, now!?" She stared at him.

"This is the first time we've been alone since Daniel came barging in. We can take five minutes to discuss what's happened in the last 24 hours. We both need our minds clear once we reach the city," he reasoned. "Now Major," he said finally dropping her hand, "how are you doing?"

Sam reacted to the military designation like it was a lifeline. She could think through the situation by stepping back from it; by becoming an observer. As Major and Colonel, logic and formality took over. "I honestly don't know how to answer," Sam said. "I can feel our bond; I know what your thinking, feeling, but it's still jarring at times."

"I feel the same way," Jack nodded. "You're in here," he pointed to his for head, "and I like it, but it's also distracting. Will this be a problem? Just say the word and we abort the mission."

"You'd prefer to abort," she shook her head and sighed. "We can't. These people need our help. We'll figure this bonded thing out as we go. I've been 'Carter' and you have been 'Sir' for a long time. I can function and think clearly in that role."

"Then that's how it'll be. But first," he gently cupped her cheek, "how is Sam doing? I never got the chance to ask if you were okay this morning."

"I'm fine," she whispered, but cringed as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Just think of me as your own personal lie detector," he chuckled. "Want to tell me the truth?"

"No," she said, but her mind instantly complained, _I'm exposed, defenseless and sore. How do you think I am?_

Jack laughed at her internal sass; he was learning there was a lot to Sam he didn't know. "The exposed part I can see, but you definitely aren't defenseless," he stared at her intently. "Did I hurt you last night?" His concern for her was evident in his eyes and his mind.

"What? No!" Sam felt herself turn beet red, but couldn't bring herself to answer him; willing her mind to shut up just this once. She felt the moment Jack comprehended what sore meant as his concern was replaced with his memories of last night.

"Seriously!" She chastised him; but despite any discomfort, her body was already beginning to respond. "Stop right there," she ordered. "How can you even think about that right now."

"Hey, I'm a guy," Jack defended. "Doesn't mean I'm actually going to act on it. You wouldn't believe how many times I've fantasized about you while off-world."

 _Great, now I'm going to be thinking about how fantastic you are in bed_ , the thought escaped before she could stop it. Jack tried to cover his laugh with a cough, but Sam could see the male satisfaction on his face. "I'm never getting used to this," she grumbled.

"I'm liking it; I finally know what you're thinking," Jack quipped.

"All of this just seems to come easy for you," Sam sighed. "I'm not picking up many of your random thoughts."

He suddenly grew serious. "Your thoughts and emotions are so strong right now, I can't help but hear them. Trust me, I'm feeling the same way you do; I'm even sore, too," he said softly. "In this situation, I'm just better at compartmentalizing. I'm sure it'll get easier once we are back home. Now, come on, Major," he said taking them out of Sam and Jack mode and back to Major and Colonel. "We've got a mission to complete."

—POV—

Daniel and Teal'c crouched silently behind a building a few hundred feet away from the palace entrance. It had taken them little time to make it into the city, which seemed to be deserted. Except for a few men milling about, the streets were completely empty.

"I do not like this," Teal'c said.

"Something is definitely different from the last time we were here," Daniel said as his anxiety increased. "Maybe the attack on the auction scared everyone away?"

"That is unlikely," Teal'c said, his gaze never wavering from the palace entrance. "I have counted no less than ten men and ten women entering the palace since we arrived, but no one has exited. I believe everyone has congregated inside."

"That's not good," Daniel shifted and reached for his walkie. "We need to warn Jack and Sam."

"Freezing! Hands up!" a loud voice boomed behind them.

Daniel and Teal'c slowly stood and turned. With a quick movement, Teal'c lunged for the man holding a weapon, tackling him to the ground. Four more palace guards suddenly appeared. Drawing his zat, Daniel fired hitting two, but missing the others. As one jumped on top of Teal'c, the other faced off against Daniel. It took little time for the two members of SG-1 to subdue the remaining guards.

"Crap," Daniel muttered drawing Teal'c's attention. "My walkie was crushed in our little fight. Let me have yours," Daniel held out his hand.

"My communications device was also damaged in the struggle," Teal'c was not pleased.

"How are we supposed to communicate with Sam and Jack now?" Daniel's mind raced as he tried to come up with a solution. "We have no way to warn them and they have no way to call for help."

"We must retrieve another communications device from the Tok'ra ship," Teal'c told him. "It is the only logical option. Hopefully, we will make it back before O'Neil and Major Carter require assistance."

"Hopefully, they don't require assistance at all," Daniel said roughly. "Come on, we can make it back to the rendezvous point in a little under twenty minutes."

"I should stay here," Teal'c said. "Perhaps I can provide assistance if needed."

"Bad idea, Teal'c," Daniel argued. "If you stay here then I have no way of contacting you or Jack and Sam. What happens if we can't find you? No, it's too risky."

"Very well," Teal'c quickly bowed his head. "But let us move quickly."

Daniel took off at a jog following Teal'c. Sam hadn't quite finished the modifications to the slave cuff before they left, maybe she and Jack were still a distance away. Maybe luck would be on their side.


	23. Chapter 23

Sam cringed as she realized luck was not on their side today. Instead of quietly making their way to the palace, they'd run into what seemed to be the only group of men remaining in the city. Keeping her eyes cast downward, Sam played the part of the dutiful slave following her master. For once, she was willing to act submissive because it meant she didn't have to see the men openly staring at her.

 _Tell me again why I can't just shoot anyone ogling you?_ Jack asked.

 _You know as well as I do that you've got to play the role of my master_ , she mentally sighed. She wanted to shoot them all as much as he did. _We haven't heard from Daniel or Teal'c. Do you think they are in position?_

 _They'd better be_ , Jack growled. _I really don't like this. Something is off, the streets are too empty._

Before Sam could agree, a door to the palace opened and two men came rushing out.

"Greetings!" The first one called to Jack. "You are just in time for the event!"

"Event?" Jack asked. _Do you know anything about an_ _event?_

 _No_ , Sam whispered, but she didn't like the sound of it.

"Perfect timing, then" Jack grit out trying to sound happy to be there in time. She felt his anger as the guards gawked at her.

"Is she the slave that sold for one-hundred gold pieces?" The first guard with some awe.

"She is," Jack replied hesitantly. "The auction was attacked after I paid for her and we fled. We finally made our way to the palace—for the event."

"I see why you paid a fortune for her," the guard said. Sam dared a quick look up and immediately wished she hadn't. See could see his eyes salivating as he drank in her body through the translucent material. Resisting the urge to cover herself with her arms, she shuddered.

"I hope she was worth the price," the other guard raised his eyebrows at Jack suggestively.

 _I'm gonna hit him_ , Jack growled, but maintained the act. "Definitely worth it," he gave the guards a wink.

"How much for a night with her?" The second guard took a step forward.

 _Scratch that, I'm gonna kill him,_ Jack took an equal step forward.

 _Jack!_ Sam's thought stopped him.

"She's not for sale, not even for a night," Sam heard the deadly calm in Jack's voice. "She's mine."

The guard snapped his eyes to Sam's owner; Jack's tone finely piercing the man's lust.

"No offense meant," the guard quickly stepped back. "You may enter."

Keeping her eyes locked onto Jack's back, she fought the urge to glare at the disgusting guards as they passed.

"That was easier than expected," Jack said once the door closed behind them.

"Too easy. Let's just find the crystal assembly and get out of here," she turned down the corridor that led to the center of the palace, assuming Teegan's intel was correct. Walking down the hallway, Sam noticed most of the rooms they passed were bedrooms, or at least rooms with beds. She internally blanched as her imagination started to form ideas of what they were used for.

—POV—

 _I know Sam, it makes me sick, too_ , Jack told her. Before she could answer the sounds of male voices them drew her attention. They jerked to a stop.

"Hiya fellas!" Jack suddenly boomed stepping to shield her from view. "We're just looking for the event."

"Stop hiding the merchandise," one of the men snarled walking forward.

"She's not merchandise, I'm afraid," Jack told him, trying to appear aloof. "This is my highly coveted slave," he cringed as he said the words.

"You must not covet her too much if you brought her to the elite auction," the second man leered at her.

"Elite auction?" Jack said as his blood ran cold. "I just purchased her not more than a week ago at the slave auction," he sighed feigning exasperation. "Why would I bring her to another auction so soon?"

"Bored with her already," The first man shrugged laughing. "Come one, just one little taste to see if she's worth bidding on."

Jack shared the laugh before surging forward with an uppercut. The man went down instantly. The other one grabbed Jack in a bear hug before throwing him to the floor. Out of nowhere, two more men, presumable guards, seized Sam by the arms and began dragging her away as she fought them.

"Sam!" Jack surged to his feet. "Let her go!"

"My, my, my," a familiar voice said before Jack could react. "I had hoped I'd meet you both again."

"Zabar," Jack's voice was laced with venom. The men holding Sam stopped, waiting for instructions.

"I think your slave would make a find addition to our elite auction," Zabar said smoothly.

"We've married," Jack jerked his arm free of the man holding it and pulled down the front of his shirt revealing the phoenix tattoo. "You can't sell her."

Walking over to Sam, Zabar forced her to turn around revealing her phoenix tattoo. Tossing her back to the guards, he laughed. "You think this will stop me?"

"It's against your own law," Sam challenged him.

"Silence," he backhanded her across the face, the blow snapping her head back.

Jack lunged for Zabar, but his captors held him back. "I'll kill you for touching her!" He struggled against their hold.

"Unlikely," Zabar hissed. "I make the laws and at the elite auction, these marks mean nothing!"

"You son of a—," as Jack tried to charge him again, Zabar pulled out a Goa'uld pain stick striking him in the chest. Jack crashed to the floor, as he fought against the electricity surging through his system. Paralyzed, he watched helplessly as Sam fought against the men holding her. Breaking one arm free, she punched the man to her left before kicking the man to her right. Just as he thought she'd gotten the upper hand, Zabar stepped forward and raised his weapon. With a cry, she crumpled to the floor as he pressed the pain stick to her back.

Black spots swarmed into Jack's vision as he fought to remain conscious, but he knew he was losing the battle. The last thing he heard before the blackness consumed him was Zabar ordering his death.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains attempted rape. It gets a little dark, but never too dark.

Jack jerked awake suddenly, years of military training helping him become instantly alert. Touching his scalp, he felt some dried blood against his fingers from the blow he took to the head. That would definitely leave a bump.

Glancing around, he noticed he was in a windowless room. Trying the door, he was amazed it was unlocked. Apparently, his captors thought they'd killed him and had just dumped his body. No such luck assholes, he thought, I've got a harder head then that.

But something was off as he didn't feel right; he wasn't complete, something was missing— _Sam_! The loss of Sam from his mind slammed into him. Mentally, Jack reached out for her but found nothing.

Fear consumed him as a cold emptiness began to replace the warmth he'd felt since their bonding. Sam! He mentally called to her. Dammit Carter, answer me!

Silence. Pushing all of his emotions down, Jack forced himself to think like a military officer instead of a worried spouse. Now wasn't the time to be Sam's Jack, no he needed to be the Colonel who protected his subordinates by keeping a clear head.

Slipping out the door he hugged the walls. Zabar had said Sam would make a good addition to the auction, but where would he take her. Suddenly remembering his walkie-talkie he pulled it out of his pocket. "Daniel, Teal'c, we've got a problem."

Static was the only response.

"Daniel, answer me!" Jack cursed. Either his walkie wasn't working or something had happened to Daniel and Teal'c. Regardless, he was on his own for now.

As he continued his creep along the hallway, male voices came from his the right. Following the sound, he discovered a group of men gathered in a large room with a stage in the center. His mind flashed back to the slave auction. This setup was almost exactly the same, except for being more elaborate. Sneaking around the door, he took the stairs, hoping for a spot to watch from without being seen. If this was the location of the auction, it was his best chance to find Sam.

A loud chirp came from his pocket. Pulling the walkie out he pressed the button and fiercely whispered, "Dammit Daniel, that had better be you!"

"It's us," Daniel's voice was like a lifeline.

"Where the hell were you?" Jack hissed.

"We got into a bit of an altercation," Daniel explained. "Both our walkies were damaged. We had to return to the ship for another one. Jack, there's a lot of people in the palace."

"You think!" Jack barked. Pressing his forehead against the cool stone of the wall he tried to quiet his temper. This wasn't Daniel's fault. The odds of both walkie-talkies being damaged must be astronomical. They had no way of predicting it would happen.

"Zabar has Carter," Jack told them.

"Shit," Daniel cursed as Teal'c said something in his own language, but Jack was sure it mirrored Daniel's comment.

"He's planning to sell her off at some sort of elite auction," Jack grit his teeth. "I can't believe I'm making her go through this again!"

"You aren't making her do anything, O'Neill," Teal'c said. "Do not let misplaced blame cloud your mind. Major Carter needs you."

"You always gotta be the voice of reason?" Jack bit out, but was thankful for his friend's reminder. He needed to work on his compartmentalizing. "That's not all, I can't feel her in my mind anymore. She's gone."

"Jack—" Daniel started, his voice soothing.

"She's not dead," Jack said a little too loudly. "She can't be dead. I just don't know why I can't feel her right now."

"Perhaps Major Carter has been rendered unconscious," Teal'c said.

Jack grabbed onto the idea. That had to be the reason he couldn't sense her. He knew she had passed out, but with that brief hope another fear crashed down. "If she is unconscious, then she can't be sold at the auction because I'm watching it start right now. She isn't among the women in stage."

"So if Zabar lied about auctioning her off, where would he have taken her?" Daniel asked.

And more importantly, Jack thought, what was the sick bastard doing to her?

—POV—

Sam groaned as she slowly regained consciousness; her head throbbing from hitting the floor after being knocked out by the pain stick. Trying to feel the back of her head, she realized she couldn't move her arm. She tried to sit up, only to find she was anchored down. Her mind snapped fully awake as she realized she was tied to a large bed.

"Welcome back," Zabar sneered at her. Turning toward the sound, the blood drained from her face as saw Zabar sitting bare chested a few feet away. "I told you I'd tie you to my bed and teach you a lesson," his smile was sinister. "Don't worry," he continued, "I haven't touched you, yet. I prefer my slaves to be awake when I make them scream."

"I've bonded with Jack," she growled in anger.

"I know," he sighed dramatically. "Fortunately for me, your master is now dead," he sneered. "I'm claiming you as my own, your weak bond be damned."

"Jack is not dead!" Even as she said the words, she knew something was wrong. Jack wasn't in her mind anymore. Instead of his constant warmth, she felt loneliness and cold. Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to find some indication that he was still alive.

Zabar stood up and slowly crossed the room, pulling Sam out of her own thoughts. Jack wasn't here, but that didn't mean she was defenseless. He'd want her to fight.

"Who are you?" Sam demanded. "Are you a serving a Goa'uld?" Keep him talking, her brain insisted, and find a way to escape.

"My symbiote's name was Yue-Lao," he told her proudly, "the god of lust and sexual bondage."

"Was?" Her mind reeled at this information.

"Yue-Lao only possessed my body for a short period, but it was enough for me to gain access to all his wondrous knowledge. You see, Creetions who have bonded cannot be possessed by a symbiote because their minds are already bound to another." Zabar tapped his head as he chuckled. "It's why most Goa'uld avoid this planet."

"Yue-Lao forced me to reveal why he couldn't completely access my mind. When he found out, he made me kill my mate in an attempt to sever our bond." Zabar stepped out of sight, above her head. Sam heard metal against metal as he continued. "Despite my beloved's death, our bond remained intact, thwarting Yue-Lao attempts to fully control me. He was angry because Creetion bonds last even after death; therefore, his possession would never be completed. As my body fought against Yue-Lao, treating him like some sort of infection, he made me suffer unimaginable pain. It took weeks, but he eventually died."

"But if you beat the Goa'uld controlling you, why are you doing this to your own people? Why commit blasphemy against your own beliefs?" Sam couldn't believe a man, no matter how sick and twisted, could convince thousands of people to turn their backs on their own wives and daughters. He had to have altered their minds somehow.

"Yue-Lao showed me how the women of this world were taking advantage of the men. How my own mate had made me subservient to her. They needed to be punished," he stepped into her sight again, holding a sharp dagger.

"He twisted your mind," Sam reasoned. "Turned the love for your mate against you."

"No," Zabar hissed, "he showed me the truth and turned me into a god!"

"You're not a god," Sam spat at him. "Your just a deranged psycho who let a parasite twist his mind."

Zabar laughed, "men at their core are primitive cavemen. They don't truly desire a bond, it's just the only way society would permit them to obtain the sex they craved. I simply offered them sex and obedience from their women without the bonding. They willingly accepted what I offered." He reached down and ran his fingers over her cheek that he had struck earlier. "Such a shame you don't obey." Shaking himself out of whatever thought he'd had, Zabar continued.

"You can't imagine how easy it was to alter the Goa'uld bonding cuffs. With Yue-Lao's knowledge, I converted the controller cuffs to block a true bond from forming in the men. Their minds were safe, but women's minds were forced into submission by the lopsided bond. By the time anyone with the power to stop me realized what was happening, it was too late," he shook his head, smiling. "You would have been appalled at how quickly the men who had embraced the ideas of subservience and punishment lost any type of morals thanks to my cuff alterations. Those that resisted, well, let's just say I didn't let them live long enough to put up a fight."

"You're wrong," she told him. "I've met the resistance and I watched them destroy your slave auction. There a men, good men, who will stop you."

"Mighty powerful words seeing as you're at my mercy," he roughly patted her cheek, making Sam wince. "Now, enough distractions," he grinned sadistically.

Slipping the dagger into the bodice of her thin dress, he ripped it open, spilling her breasts out as she struggled against the bonds. "Absolutely perfect," he said reaching out to touch one with the tips of his fingers. Sam tried to jerk away from his touch.

"I see you need to learn some manners," he once again moved to above her head. He wasn't out of view more than a moment before he returned with a large bamboo-looking stick. The end of it had been cut into several long thin pieces. Bringing it down across her thighs, Zabar struck her through the fabric of her dress.

Sam bit her lip to keep from crying out at the sharp sting. She wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction.

"Playing brave," he said lashing her legs again, but Sam refused to make a sound. "That's good, your silence will only make your eventual screams more sweet. And I promise you, I will make you scream."

—POV—

It took no time at all for Daniel and Teal'c to reach Jack. Once the auction started, the guards had left their posts; presumably to catch glimpses of the women being auctioned.

"Where do we go?" Daniel asked. "Any clue where he took Sam?"

"No," Jack ran his hands through his hair.

"O'Neill, maybe you should try contacting her again," Teal'c suggested.

"Couldn't hurt to try," Daniel urged. "We don't know how this bond thing works, maybe you need to re-establish it or something."

Jack closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He'd always hated failed at meditation, but it was worth a try. He imagined the door to her mind that the elders had formed on their wedding day. Grasping the doorknob he tried to turn it, but it was locked. Resting his forehead against the door, he tried to whisper to her. _Sam it's me, it's Jack._ But he didn't receive an answer. As he began to retreat from the dead end he heard her voice from far away.

 _Sam!_ He called again running back to the door, but it was still locked. _Let me in_.

He could feel her on the other side of the door, but she wouldn't or couldn't respond. Gathering his resolve, he ordered, _I am your bonded mate; you surrendered yourself to me. Now open the damn door._

As the door sprang open pure terror washed over him; her terror. An intense pain radiating across his legs tore him out of their sacred place.

Opening his eyes, he grabbed for the wall as the pain almost brought him to his knees. His eyes widened in realization and horror that he was feeling Sam's pain.

"Jack!" Daniel yelled, grabbing for him.

A vision slammed into Jack's mind of Zabar standing over Sam as she was tied down. The bastard held a dagger in his hands.

"Next time, maybe you won't jerk away from my touch," he sneered at her before lowering the blade into her dress. "Let's see if your body is worth all the frustration you've caused me." With that, Zabar used the dagger to rip the front of her gown open.

 _Sam!_ He called to her in his thoughts and out loud, but couldn't break through the fear flooding her mind. _I'm coming, Sam_ , he willed her to hear him.

"Jack," Daniel shook him. "What's wrong."

"The sick bastard has her tied down! He's going to rape her!" Jack took off at a dead run. Now that their bond was back, he could feel her as if their souls were two magnets pulling them together. He registered, in the back of his mind, the sound of zats firing as he drew the attention of multiple guards. Not stopping, he trusted Daniel and Teal'c to continue watching his six as he raced to Sam.

His stride stumbled as her scream tore into his brain. He could feel Zabar roughly squeezing Sam's breasts. Bile started to rise into his throat. _Sam!_ Jack screamed to her again, the emotions he felt from her threatening to destroy him as he helplessly watched Zabar's attack through her eyes. Images of being with her on the Goa'uld ship flashed through his mind. The pain he had felt when she was trapped on the other side of the force shield paled in comparison to what he felt now. _NO! SAM!_

 _Jack?_ He heard her whimper as her conscious mind finally acknowledged him.

 _Sam! I'm here!_ He prayed she would hear him.

 _Jack, no you can't be here for this,_ she cried and tried to push him away.

 _I'm not going anywhere_ , he told her firmly. _I'm almost there, just hang on._

"I'm going to enjoy breaking you," Jack heard Zabar through their connection.

Son of a bitch! Jack cursed as he felt Sam's mind closing off, folding in on itself. He recognized the feeling; he'd done the same thing while Ba'al had tortured him. It was a form a mental disassociation, a way to separate yourself from your body.

 _Don't you dare give up!_ he shouted. _Fight, that's an order!_


	25. Chapter 25

Sam's eyes snapped open at Jack's order as Zabar pressed the tip of the dagger to the hollow of her throat. He scraped it downward, between her breasts to her naval; not enough pressure to fully pierce her skin, but it left an angry burn in its wake.

Sam felt the restraints digging into her wrists, but only one wrist was throbbing. Daring a quick glance upward, she found that the slave cuff was between her skin and the restraint. Rotating her wrist, she could just move the cuff back and forth. The latch she'd fashioned was just on the edge, if she could use the restraint to catch it—the cuff sprang open, giving her enough room to slip her wrist free.

She drove the heel of her freed hand into Zabar's nose, knocking him backward. Blood poured from down his face as he screamed in agony.

Not wasting a second, Sam worked to loosen the restraint holding her other hand. She felt the cord dig further into her wrist, slicing the skin. Ironically, her blood provided just enough lubrication for her to wrench it free. Sitting up she turned to her ankles.

Before she could get the first restraint undone, Zabar grabbed her hair and wrenched her backward. Pain exploded in her head as she was slammed down.

Zabar stood over her and threw the dagger aside. "You'll pay for that," he snarled as he climbed on top of her. She clawed at his face, but he captured her wrists and pinned them above her head. Unable to stop the tears streaming down her face, Sam screamed.

—POV—

Jack rammed his shoulder into the locked door breaking the hinges, as Sam screamed his name. Roaring into the room, he saw Zabar on top of Sam, pinning her down, blood covering her body. He tackled Zabar, wrenching him off of her and throwing the man to the ground. Zabar stood no chance against Jack's unleashed fury, as he pounded his fists into the bastard's face. Even after Zabar lost consciousness, Jack refused to stop.

"O'Neil!" Teal'c yelled, trying to pry him off of Zabar. Jack turned, shoving the Jaffa back and returned to beating the man who dared to hurt his soulmate.

"Jack!" Sam called, but he ignored her. He'd seen the blood, couldn't stand the thought that he might have been too late.

 _Jack_! Sam broke through his fury, forcing herself into his mind.

 _He raped you! All the blood, oh god, Sam_ , his soul screamed.

_He didn't rape me, Jack, you got to me in time! You saved me!_

Jack paused briefly as her thoughts started to seep past his fear and rage. This time when Teal'c grabbed him, he didn't fight. Turning to Sam, he walked over to where she sat on the bed. Daniel had released her and wrapped his jacket around her, but Jack could see several large welts across her thighs. Grasping the lapels of the jacket, he jerked it open. His mind registered Daniel quickly turning around.

Kneeling in front of her, he ran his hands over her body, searching for the source of the blood.

"It's not mine," she told him softly, grabbing the sides of his face. "It's Zabar's. I broke his nose."

"That's my girl," Jack growled as he pulled her roughly into his arms. "I thought I was too late," his voice trembled.

"You weren't," her fingers massaged the back of his neck.

"He didn't—" Jack's voice was muffled against her skin.

"He didn't," she confirmed, but he still shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to her.

"I'm supposed to be comforting you," he grumbled pulling back. After checking for any significant damage one more time, he zipped the jacket up.

"You can comfort me later," she told him. "Right now, we're finishing the mission." Jack watched as she retrieved the slave cuff from where it hung in the restraint. Understanding her intent as she stood up, he stepped back and let her lead the way.

Having no choice except to follow, Daniel and Teal'c fell in step behind them. The halls were still mostly clear since the auction hadn't ended; the sounds of bidding echoing around them. The only two men they ran into took one look as them and scurried the other way.

Making their way to the center of the palace, Sam held the slave cuff up to the crystal assembly and pushed the button. A wave of energy exploded from the crystals as they cracked and disintegrated.

As if on cue, Jack heard a sudden silence followed by what could only be described as female battle cries. He couldn't help the smile on his face. It was time for the women of this planet to get some retribution.

"Mission accomplished," Sam said, sagging against him.

Jack wrapped his arm around her waist. He knew his adrenaline was wearing off, but could also feel the telltale exhaustion creeping into Sam. They needed to get to the ship before the inevitable crash happened.

He turned them around and looked at Daniel and Teal'c. Both of them looked pleased, but also concerned. Nodding to let them know he and Sam would be alright he said, "Let's go home."


	26. Chapter 26

Sam hissed a breath through her teeth as Jack swiped the antiseptic pad over the welts on her legs.

 _Sorry,_ he said, glancing into her face.

 _It's ok,_ she told him, but her eyes were on her father. Jacob Carter was pacing back and forth across the bridge. The looks he kept throwing at Jack were dark enough to kill. At least Jack couldn't see it since his back was to her father.

 _I can see him through your eyes,_ Jack reminded her with a sigh. _He'll be okay, just give him some time._

She'd never forget the look on her dad's face as they transported aboard the Tok'ra ship.

"Oh my god, Sam," he'd come rushing over as Jack held her in his arms. Unable to find her shoes after everything that happened in the palace, Sam had tried to make it back barefoot. She only made it about a half mile before Jack picked her up, claiming she was making his own feet hurt.

While he carried her, he'd told her about losing their connection, and how he'd found it again. She had no memory of being in their sacred room with him, but she remembered when he'd come slamming back into her head. Apparently, he could now feel exactly what she experienced, assuming it was out of the ordinary for her or if she purposely projected it to him.

Daniel, always wanting to understand the why and how, had made them stop for a break. He sent Jack behind a tree and winked at Sam. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of of it.

"Get your lips off my wife, Daniel," Jack had growled almost immediately.

"Fascinating!" Daniel exclaimed as Jack rejoined them. Daniel wanted to try something else, but Jack had merely picked Sam back up and resumed walking.

Once they had finally made it back onto the ship, Jack put her down. Jacob waited until he assured himself she was, for the most part, okay, before he'd released his temper on Jack.

"What the hell did you do to my daughter?!" Jacob had gotten right in Jack's face. "I should transport you back to the planet and leave you there!"

To Jack's credit, he remained calm as Jacob dressed him down. "We ran into a little bit of a problem," Jack tried to explain. But Jacob wasn't ready to listen and Selmac wasn't inclined to stop her host.

"A little bit of a problem?" Jacob's voice had dropped to barely a whisper. Sam cringed, knowing he was almost past the point of reason, she stepped forward to intervene.

"Dad, it isn't Jack's fault; he's the one that saved me," she told him. Jacob wasn't ready to listen as he pointed his finger at her.

"You stay out of this; this is between between me and your so-called husband!" He lit into her.

"Back off, Jacob," Jack ordered. "Sam doesn't need your temper right now."

All of the emotions and feelings of oppression, being treated as if her voice didn't matter, being attacked, being told what to do, came rushing to the surface. Jack's eyes had widened at the fury rolling out of her. This was definitely a side of herself he'd never seen. She felt him trying to soothe her through their connection as he started to speak.

 _Back off!_ She warned. His mouth snapped shut.

"How dare you tell me to stay out of it!" She took a step toward Jacob; the fire snapping in her eyes forcing him to step back. "For the last six days, I've been treated as chattel by men; I've been sold, bought, stolen, and attacked. I will not stand here while you talk about me as if I'm not here! For god sakes dad, don't you think I've dealt with the misogynistic attitude enough."

Before anyone could respond she'd turned on her heel and marched to the far side of the bridge, dismissing everyone. As the last of her adrenaline vanished, she'd slid her back down the wall and sat on the floor. Which is where she was right now.

Another swipe of the antiseptic pad broke into the memory as she let out a small yelp.

"Sorry," Jack said aloud this time.

"Are you feeling it, too?" She asked.

"All of it," he looked into her eyes.

"Good. At least that's something," her dad grumbled.

"Dad," Sam glared at her father. She understood why he was frustrated, but blaming Jack was wrong.

 _It's okay,_ Jack told her. _I would be freaking out too if my daughter showed up bloody and bruised. That was one hell of a speech you gave. Glad I wasn't on the receiving end._

Before she could respond, the transport rings activated as Daniel and Teal'c returned from the village.

"Bettany and Teegan send their regards," Daniel told them.

"They indicated you may keep your bonding cuffs," Teal'c added. "As a symbol of their gratitude and your love."

Jacob said something under his breath, but Sam continued to ignore him. She knew he was sorry he'd snapped at her, could see it in his eyes. But she didn't have the resolve to deal with him head on yet.

"I'm sorry we couldn't see them again," Sam said sadly. "We owe them so much."

"They understand," Daniel told her. "The entire village is so busy finding all of the liberated women; helping them to make a fresh start. It's going to take them years to undo the damage Zabar inflicted."

"Teegan also sent a message. He said his wife has decided to become a leader in the new society. He'd said you would understand the significance," Teal'c told them.

"I do," she shared a smile with Jack.

"How close are we to home?" Jack changed the subject.

"We should be back at the SGC in 24 hours. The planet we gated to is just under a day away," Teal'c bowed his head.

"Why don't you all get some rest," Jacob said as he sat in the pilot's seat with a quick glance at his daughter.

Sam carefully stretched out on the floor as her body protested the movement. Now that she wasn't fighting for her life or trying to get back to the ship, her muscles were getting stiff and sore. At Jack's urging, she lay her head on his thigh as he sat with his back to the wall.

 _Not going to rest?_ She glanced up at him.

 _I am,_ he replied leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. She couldn't help the soft sigh as his hand began rubbing small circles on her back, easing the stiffness in her body and allowing her to slip into sleep.

_—POV—_

Jacob waited until he was sure his daughter and Jack were asleep before turning to look at them. Sam sported a quickly darkening black eye with what could only be described as welts running across her thighs. He didn't want to imagine what damage the jacket she wore was hiding.

He admitted to hisself that he'd completely lost it when Jack had gated back to the ship with Sam in his arms. He knew his daughter, and it would take an act of god before she'd ever allow herself to be carried. Unless she was too hurt to argue.

It wasn't until after he'd lost his temper that he'd allowed Selmac to point out that Sam was barefoot. While that likely explained why Jack carried her, what concerned him more was why she'd lost her shoes and apparently her dress. He knew Jack would never do anything to physically hurt her, so someone else must have. At that particular thought he clenched his eyes shut as his anger gave way to terror.

 _Don't jump to conclusions,_ Selmac ordered him.

The sound of someone moving startled him. He watched as Daniel pulled a small, thin blanket out of his pack and quietly moved to cover Sam's bare legs. As Daniel turned, he met Jacob's eyes and came to the front of the bridge.

"Jacob," he nodded. "How are you holding up?"

Jacob let out a harsh breath. "I'm not," he said truthfully. "I know I shouldn't put you in a position of betraying their trust, but I have to know. Is my daughter okay?" He let the specific unasked question fill the air between them.

"Jack got to her in time," Daniel answered and Jacob started breathing again. "I should probably keep my mouth shut, but we all know that's not what I do," Daniel said with a forced half smile before he turned serious. "You need to cut Jack some slack."

Jacob's back stiffened at the younger man's words.

"You didn't see him down there," Daniel drew in a shaky breath. "When he couldn't find Sam, Jack was distraught. I've been through several tough situations with him, life threatening ones, and I've never seen him like that." Daniel paused. "Then when he reestablished his mental connection with her, I saw a side of Jack I never want to see again. He was the personification of fury. He almost beat Zabar to death with his bare hands."

Jacob swallowed audibly at what Daniel was describing. "You said he got to her in time?"

"He did," Daniel nodded, "but not until after—it was close. If Jack had been one second later," Daniel trailed off.

"Is she hiding more damage under the jacket?" Jacob's voice was hoarse.

"That's not my place to say," Daniel shook his head. "But what I will say is this. Sam has absolutely been through hell, but so has Jack. In some ways he may have had it worse. Can you imagine watching the woman you love be attached in your mind and not knowing if you'd get to her in time?"

Jacob turned away from Daniel as his emotions threatened to break the surface.

"Jacob," Daniel put a hand on his shoulder. "I've watched Jack and Sam fall in love over the past six years. I've never seen two people more right for each other."

Jacob nodded, but didn't look at Daniel. It was hard to admit when someone much younger than you was wiser.

 _He's right you know,_ Selmac said. _The way they look at each other is the stuff of legends._

Jacob snorted at her description. _I think we've been watching too many old Earth movies._

 _Maybe_ , she mentally shrugged, _but that doesn't mean I'm wrong._

No, Jacob admitted. It didn't.


	27. Chapter 27

General Hammond rushed to the control room as the unscheduled off-world activation alert blared. As he had done with every off-world alert, he prayed it was SG-1 returning home with Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill.

"It's SG-1's IDC!" Walter exclaimed looking at him.

"Thank god. Open the iris," he ordered as he walked the short distance to the gate room. Only his many years in the military allowed him to school his features as the Major and Colonel emerged from the wormhole, followed by Daniel, Jacob, and Teal'c.

"Welcome home," his offered his standard greeting as he took in Major Carter's condition. Shell-shocked was the best adjective he could come up with. The Major wore an SGC jacket that hung down to just above her knees, both of which were exposed from her lack of pants. One side of her face was slightly swollen and bruised.

Pushing down the need to demand what had happened to one of his senior officers, he told her, "it's good to have you back, Major."

"Thank you, sir," she replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Dr. Janet Frazier came running into the gate room, followed by a nurse pushing a wheelchair.

"Hi, Sam," Janet said as she guided her toward the chair.

"I can walk," Sam argued, letting Hammond know she wasn't too badly hurt, at least physically.

"Sam," Janet protested.

"Carter," Colonel O'Neill said with a nod toward the chair. With a sigh, she sat down as they wheeled her away.

Hammond noticed that O'Neill's eyes lingered on the Major a bit longer than necessary, which wasn't too uncommon. What was unusual was the look in his face; his head was slightly cocked as if he was listening to something. A small smile quirked his lips.

"Colonel," Hammond nodded drawing his attention, "I'd like to have a quick debrief before you go to the infirmary. If you are uninjured."

"Yes, sir," Jack said following Hammond to his office. Jacob followed while Daniel and Teal'c headed to change their clothes then to the infirmary for their post off-world health checks.

Closing the door, the two men waited to sit until Hammond took a seat.

"She looks like hell," Hammond said bluntly.

"She's been through hell," Jack replied bluntly now that they were alone. "Not only did she have to navigate a culture saturated with misogyny, she found a way to free them from a sicko who had been a host to a Goa'uld. It'll all be in my report," Jack said before Hammond could ask for details.

"Now about Major Carter," Hammond proceeded. "Did you marry her?"

"Yes I did, sir," Jack confirmed, but Hammond could tell by the look on both men's faces there was more to the story.

"You might as well tell me," Hammond ordered. Experience told him he wouldn't like what came next.

"There was more to the ceremony than just exchanging vows," Jack said. Hammond closed his eyes as he suspected what Jack was going to say. "In order to get married, Carter had to undergo a ritual called the fire," Jack looked uncomfortably at Jacob, "It made it necessary for her to, umm, mate, sir. Failure to do so would have resulted in her death."

"So you and Major Carter engaged in sexual relations in order to save her life," Hammond needed confirmation.

"Yes, sir," Jack squirmed. He actually squirmed in his seat. Hammond suspected there was more to it than Jack just wanting to save the Major's life, but kept that suspicion to himself.

"Have you engaged in sexual relations since the day you married," Hammond asked, his tone all business.

"No, sir. We haven't been alone since that night" Jack answered. As soon as the words left his mouth, the hardened Colonel turned red. Hammond's eyes widened at what Jack's answer implied. Glancing at Jacob, he saw an incredibly pained expression on his face. Understandable given the fact they were literally discussing his daughter having sex.

"I believe I can make a solid case against court martial, since you only did what was necessary to save Major Carter's life," he told him, but Jack's pained expression concerned him.

"There's more, George," Jacob sighed, finally speaking. "Apparently Jack and Sam formed some sort of permanent mental bond."

"Which means what, exactly," Hammond's head was starting to throb. This situation was getting even more complicated by the second.

"They are literally in each other's heads. All the time," Jacob answered. His head lowered, indicating Selmac was assuming control.

"Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are bonded on a cellular level," Selmac said. "Much like my host and myself. It is my belief that separating them could result in extensive physical and mental trauma, including one or both of their deaths."

"Divorce isn't an option," Jack interjected, followed by a delayed, "sir."

"I see," Hammond's hope for an easy resolution evaporated as he digested the situation.

"General," Jack said, "I think you should know that both Carter and I entered into this bond willingly. We knew what was going to happen. Even without the threat of her death, I would have willingly bonded with her."

"Jack," Hammond raised his hand, "stop right there. I'm going to pretend I did not hear that."

"George," Jacob said having resumed control of his body, "for what it's worth I support them, completely."

Jack quickly turned to look at Jacob with a surprised expression, but didn't say anything. Jacob refused to look at his new son-in-law. Hammond ran his hands over his head and let out a harsh breath. If he wasn't bald already, he would have been after this was over.

"You did say by any means necessary," Jack said.

"Yes, and I'm beginning to regret that order," Hammond said sharply. "I guess the next thing to do is—Colonel O'Neill?" He noticed Jack's eyes had glazed over. "Jack!"

As Jack stood up and walked out of the room without an explanation, Hammond turned to Jacob. "What the hell just happened?"

Jacob was already standing when he said, "I'd guess Sam needs him."

General Hammond had no clue what that meant, but had no choice except to follow Jacob down the hall. They saw Jack turn into the locker room and continue back to the showers. As they followed him, Hammond watched in stunned silence as Jack approached a clearly distraught Major Carter. The shower stalls were tall enough that only the tops of her shoulders and head were visible, the rest of her body hidden by the tiled walls.

Without stopping, Jack walked right into the shower and pulled her into his arms; the water soaking his clothes. Major Carter threw her arms around his neck and sagged against him as she sobbed into his chest. Feeling like some sort of voyeur, he quickly backed out of the locker room with Jacob.

"What did I just witness?" He demanded. The raw emotion he saw between his two officers had shaken him.

"He feels what she feels," Jacob told him, his voice raw with emotion as well. "Sam described it as a warm embrace that never ends."

Hammond tried to wrap his head around what had happened to his officers. They had clearly been through something life altering. He knew there was chemistry between them; anyone with eyes could see that, but he also knew they'd never acted on it-until now. Without a doubt he'd have a fight on his hands with his superiors regarding his officers actions, but for the moment, ensuring they were both physically and mentally healthy was his top priority.

—POV—

Dr. Janet Frazier looked up as General Hammond and Jacob walked into the infirmary. "Thank goodness you're here," she told them. "I've lost Sam."

"What do you mean you've lost Sam," Daniel said as he and Teal'c entered the infirmary.

"She's in the locker room," Hammond informed her. As she grabbed her bag he waylaid her. "Let's give them a few minutes."

"Them?" She was growing more confused.

"Colonel O'Neill is with her," Hammond said as if that somehow explained the entire situation. At the looks on the rest of the men's faces, Janet could tell no one was surprised by that bit of information.

"Alright," she said hesitantly. Janet didn't like letting patients out of her sight until she was sure they were alright.

"Why don't you tell us what happened, doctor," Hammond ordered.

"Well, sir," she glanced at Jacob wondering how much to divulge. "Sam was pretty banged up, as you know. After examining her legs, which are covered in welts," she paused. "It looks like she was whipped with something," Janet added before continuing. "I was helping her to change into a hospital gown when I got my first look at her chest and torso. Sir, the bruising pattern is consistent with sexual assault," she cringed as the words came out of her mouth. The idea of her friend being raped was heartbreaking.

"Attempted," Teal'c said.

"What?" She asked trying to focus.

"Attempted sexual assault," he clarified. "Colonel O'Neill got to her before the attacker could complete his intent."

"Thank god," Janet breathed a quick sigh of relief. "But you all need to understand that regardless of if rape occurred, Sam was sexually assaulted. I told her I needed to do an internal exam, and the next thing I knew she was gone. I assumed the idea of an exam triggered her, but with what you've told me I don't understand why she just didn't tell me what happened. There are ways for me to make the exam more comfortable under these circumstances. Sam knows this."

She watched as Daniel, Teal'c, and Jacob exchanged looks. It was obvious that she may be the one out of the loop. "Gentlemen," Janet used her best doctor tone, "I can't help Major Carter if I'm lacking important information about what happened. I expect you to fill in the missing pieces."

"Doctor," General Hammond finally said, "I don't know Major Carter's exact reasons for leaving the infirmary, but I do know that if you had completed your exam, you would have found evidence of sexual activity. She likely did not want you to discover that and note it in her medical report."

Janet's eyes widened as she tried to understand what he was telling her. "You said she wasn't raped," she directed at no one in particular. When no one answered, she added, "will someone please just explain it to me in plain English," she pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was everyone dancing around this issue!

"Doctor," General Hammonds drew her attention, "who is the only other person, besides Major Carter, missing from our little impromptu meeting?"

"Colonel O'Neill," she said as her brain kicked in. If something had happened between Sam and her CO, she probably wouldn't want to confirm it with an internal exam. A sexual relationship between them could result in court martial.

"I've never known Major Carter or Colonel O'Neill to act improperly," Janet's first instinct was to defend her friends.

"Yeah," Daniel's cheeks pinked a bit, "while I don't consider their actions improper especially given the extenuating circumstances, I can confirm that I walked in on them sleeping in post-coital bliss."

"That is something I would have preferred not to know," Hammond told Daniel.

"It's seared into my brain," Jacob grumbled. Janet did not ask him to elaborate.

"General, I want you to let everyone know the locker room is off limits until further notice," Janet ordered him. Medical issues were the only time she'd dare to give the general an order. "I'm going to go check on my patient." She grabbed her medical kit and swept out of the room before anyone could argue.

The sight she saw as she walked into the locker room let her know everything she needed to know about Sam's new relationship with Jack. He was on the floor inside a shower stall with Sam sitting next to him. The water had been turned off, but Jack's clothes were soaked. He had his arm around a naked Sam, but there was no sense of sexual tension between them. In fact, the look their faces was one of calmness with just being near each other. Not exactly what Janet had expected given Sam's abrupt departure from the infirmary.

"Hi doc," Jack said sensing her presence.

"I want to let you know General Hammond gave me a brief synopsis of what happened off-world," she told them. "Eventually, I'll need to know exactly what happened, but for now, know that I am aware you were together physically, and any finding about that will be kept off the record medically. Would it be okay if I take a few vital signs from each of you?"

"Janet, I'm sorry. I should have told you," Sam said. "I didn't mean to just leave. The idea of evidence of our relationship being officially on the record overwhelmed me. Once that happened, everything sort of hit me at once. In that moment all I could think about was getting the blood and grime off of me."

"Sam, I understand," Janet used her serious doctor voice. "I understand why you were left, but know that I'm on your side. Both of your sides."

—POV—

Jack sat on an infirmary bed next to Sam. After checking their vital signs, Doc Frazier had ordered him to change his clothes while she helped Sam get dressed. Pulling his wet clothes off, he gave a small thanks that Sam had chosen the locker room when she'd left the infirmary.

While Jack had held her in the shower, he caught his first good look at the bruising on her torso. As he took in the damage, he wished he could go back and kill the bastard.

They'd been in the infirmary all day while the doc ran her tests. So far everything had come back completely normal; all of Sam's bruises, scrapes, and welts were deemed superficial. They were waiting for the last test and then hopefully get out of here.

"I think I found something," Janet said coming into the room with General Hammond. "It appears that a small set of nucleotides in your DNA have been altered."

"In layman's terms please, Doctor," Hammond requested.

Before she could respond, Jack answered. "The cuffs Carter and I had to wear for the bonding must have changed a small subsection of our DNA, making it possible for us to form a mental connection."

At Janet and the General's perplexed expressions, Jack pointed to Sam's head then his. "Mental connection thingy," he explained. "That was all Carter, I just said the words."

"Fascinating," Janet said.

"Daniel said the same thing," Jack sighed. "I really wish people would stop saying that."

Jack sensed Sam biting back a smile at his sarcasm.

"I have several more tests to run, but I can give them a clean bill of physical health. Except for Sam's injuries, there's nothing wrong with either of them," Janet told the General.

"What about the DNA alteration?" Hammond asked.

"Insignificant overall. While it likely explains their mental bond as Colonel O'Neill said, there's no danger to them or us," Janet answered.

"It's like the difference between my blonde hair and Janet's brown hair, sir," Sam said. "Insignificant overall, well, except for the mental bond thingy."

"Great, can we get out of here?" Jack jumped off the bed.

"Not so fast," Janet stalled him. "I want you both back in here at at 1100 hours for more tests. I want to test the strength of your mental connection. What is occurring between you is fascinating." Janet gave Jack an apologetic look at her use of the word fascinating.

"Permission to go home, sir," Sam asked General Hammond.

"Major, until we know the extent and side effects of your and Colonel O'Neill's bonding, I must insist you remain on the base," Hammond answered.

Jack felt Sam's disappointment. He wanted to get out of here for a few hours, too. Most of the base likely suspected something nefarious happened on the planet. He was positive word of the General's original order for Jack to marry his second-in-command had already made the rounds on the rumor mill. They both felt like ants under a magnifying glass.

"With all due respect, sir," Jack hoped General Hammond would reconsider. "Dr. Frazier has already confirmed that physically we are just fine. It would help both Major Carter and me to get out of here, even just for the night. I'm mentally exhausted and would really like to sleep in my own bed."

"Sir," Janet said, "there's no reason I can think of to keep them here." Jack gave her his best dazzling smile.

"Alright, but I want you both back here at 1100 hours," Hammond ordered. "I assume you want them to stay together?" He asked Janet.

"Preferably," Janet agreed. "If anything happens, report back here immediately."

"Yes, sirs," Jack said motioning Sam to go first.

"Thank you sir," Sam told the General as they hurried out the door. "You, too Janet."

The ride in the elevator seemed slower than normal as Jack waited to touch Sam. He'd hadn't touched her since they left the locker room and it was killing him. As the elevator doors opened, he let her exit, then followed her as they quickly signed out of the base.

"I'll drive," he said simply, and she didn't argue as he opened the door of his truck for her.

As soon as they had drove past the outer perimeter of the base, he reached his right hand toward her. She met him halfway. Intertwining their fingers, he held onto the lifeline as they drove the 20 minutes to his house.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The explicit rating applies to this chapter.

Sam crossed the threshold of Jack's house and took a deep, cleansing breath. They hadn't spoken a word aloud since leaving the base; both content just to hold hands during the drive.

"Sam," Jack finally said closing the door and tugging her into his arms. She went willingly; wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his neck.

"You want anything to eat or drink?" He asked, his lips against her head.

"No," she mumbled against his neck. She felt his body tighten as her breath caressed his skin. She could tell he was trying to keep himself in check for her.

"Want to go to bed?" He asked pulling back, then winced. "I mean to sleep. I'm not trying to pressure you into doing anything."

"I know," she ran her hands over and down his chest. She could feel how acute his need was, but also his determination to let her set the pace. But she didn't want to wait any longer. She needed to touch him, for him to touch her. Sam let her need for him wash over them.

"God, Sam," he shook slightly. "Are you sure?"

"Make love to me, Jack," she whispered, their lips almost touching. "Be with me because you want to, not because you have to."

Closing the paper-thin distance between them, Jack kissed her sending shockwaves from her lips all the way to her core. He walked her backwards, moving her sideways to avoid the furniture between the living room and his bedroom; all the while pulling their clothes off.

As the back of her legs hit the bed, she stood before him in her standard issue underwear. She'd forgone her sports bra thinking the elastic would press too hard against the bruises on her chest.

"You are breathtaking," he said before laying her in the center of his bed and stripping his pants and boxers off. Sam was shocked by the sight of him. While her body already knew his, the only time they'd been together was the night of the fire, and her body was burning so hot that she didn't register much beyond the need for him.

At her stare he chuckled. "Like what you see?"

She licked her lips in response, causing his eyes to darken. "Very much," Sam told him smiling.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said as he partially covered her with his body. She couldn't stop the small wince of pain as his body pressed against a tender spot on her side. "I know you're sore in places," he said as he shifted his weight to the side and lowered his head to gently twirled her nipple with his tongue.

"Not sore enough to stop," she gasped, arching under him. Sam loved the attention he paid to her breasts as she buried her hands in his hair. "Jack," she said breathlessly as she sent a mental image of what she'd always imagined him doing in her fantasies.

His body shuddered against hers as he said, "one of my fantasies, too," and kissed his way down her body.

She held her breath as he lowered his head and used his lips and tongue to tease the very heat of her. She could vaguely recall him making love to her with his mouth before, but the memory was dulled. This time, she was acutely aware as he masterfully played out the mental image she had sent him, not stopping until she arched against his mouth and exploded into a million pieces.

—POV—

Jack crawled up Sam's body and shifted them onto their sides. Laying down facing her, he pulled her leg over his hips; sensing this position would be the most comfortable for her.

"Sam," he waited until her eyes met his. "I love you," he said as he slipped inside; letting her warm heat surround him.

"I love you," she gasped and pushed her hips into his. Staring into her eyes, he drew his hips back and pushed inside again.

As her eyes fluttered closed, he said, "open your eyes; stay right here with me."

Setting a slow pace, he enjoyed watching the emotions cross her face. He was learning that his Sam held nothing back when they joined together; she freely gave him her mind, body, and soul.

When she started urging him to go faster, he shifted his angle a bit hitting a spot that had them both seeing stars, but continued the slow pace.

Jack's brow beaded with sweat as he worked to hold his release at bay. He could feel how close Sam was; how his slow and steady love making was driving her crazy in a delicious way. Reaching between their bodies, he found her bundle of nerves and circled it with his fingers. Sam called his name as she let go; her eyes finally closing and her body trembling. Jack finally let his release consume him, his own surrender more powerful than he expected; his soul calling out for hers.

It was several minutes before Jack's brain started functioning again. The first thing he felt was one of Sam's hands gently rubbing his back, while her other arm was slipped under his head, pillowing him against her. A wave of emotion filled him in a way he'd never experienced.

"Welcome back," she said gently, her smile radiant.

"Sam, that was— I—" he couldn't form the words to explain what he'd just experienced. Luckily, he didn't have to.

"I know," she said before giving him a long and slow kiss.

They lay wrapped together until he softened and slipped out of her. At the sensation, a sudden thought made him freeze. "I didn't even think to ask if you wanted me to use a condom," he told her.

"I think we are way past that, don't you?" She chuckled as she pushed him onto his back and snuggled into his side.

He gave her a lopsided grin at the truth of her words, "It's always my first instinct to protect you."

"In this case, I protected us. I'm on the birth control implant, standard SGC procedure," her fingers absently traced patterns on his skin.

"You know," she said a few minutes later, propping her chin on his chest, "you aren't always going to be the one in control."

"Hmm?" He said as his body slid closer and closer to sleep.

"Next time its my turn to drive you crazy," she licked her lips.

Jack's body tightened as he became instantly awake at her words; his mind shuffling through the many fantasies he'd had with Sam as the star.

"I like that one," she said with a smile. He twitched at the thought of her fulfilling that particular fantasy, but knew his body wasn't going to cooperate tonight. "Goodnight, Jack," she said as her eyes twinkled, and whispered in his mind, dream of me.

He did.

—POV—

"Hello?" Daniel's voice was gruff from sleep. "It's two o'clock in the morning this had better be good," he complained.

"I need your help," General Hammond said quietly.

"Sir?" Daniel immediately sat up in bed. It was definitely the first time the head of the SGC had called him in the middle of the night.

"I assume you aren't calling me in the middle of the night to say hello," Daniel said then cringed at his flippant words. "Sorry, my brain isn't working yet."

"That's okay, son," Hammond said. "I'm calling because I need your help. Both Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are going to face a court-martial. I thought I could intervene, but Senator Kinsey got wind of the situation. He doesn't know the particulars, but my sources tell me he's going to use this as the catalyst for disbanding SG-1 and assuming control of the SGC."

Daniel cringed at the General's words. Kinsey had been trying for years to find a way to discredit all of them. He'd twist what happened between Jack and Sam until he'd made it into something vile.

"I'm not gong to be able to stop him without breaking some rules, which I can't do without playing directly into his hand to discredit the SGC," Hammond said.

"I assume you have a plan," Daniel urged him to continue.

"I do, but neither Jack nor Sam can know about it. If it backfires, I want them to have plausible deniability," Hammond explained.

"How can I help?" Daniel wanted to know.

"As you've reminded me many times Dr. Jackson, you don't have to play by our rules," there was a smile in the General's voice. "Here's what I want you to do."


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: The explicit rating applies to this chapter.
> 
> Notes: This was a very complicated chapter to write and I hope it flows pretty well. I spent some time researching military regulations and court martial proceedings. While I stretched the truth a bit for the literary benefits, I tried to stay true to established precedents.

Jack hoped the cold water in the shower would calm his raging libido. After dreaming of Sam all night, he'd woken up spooning his very sexy, very asleep bonded mate. As her backside pressed against his groin, he groaned as he ordered himself to let her sleep.

Sam softly whimpered in her sleep, drawing his attention. Thinking she was having a nightmare, he'd let his mind touch hers wanting to soothe her. Instead, her very vivid, very erotic dream slammed into his head. Before he could close the connection between them, he'd watched his dream-self in ecstasy as Sam slipped him between her lips.

His body on fire, Jack had jumped out of bed and threw himself into the freezing shower; it wasn't doing much good. He was so focused on convincing himself to stay away from the beautiful women in his bed that he didn't hear the shower door open and close.

"That's a bit cold, don't you think," her voice made him jump. He stood in stunned silence as she reached behind him to turn on the hot water. "That's better," she purred as steam began to rise around them.

"Sam," his voice strained, "I don't think it's a good idea—" She stopped his words with a kiss.

"I was dreaming," she told him pulling back, "it was a very good dream," her hand drifted down his chest to his hard stomach.

Jack couldn't help the sound escaping his throat as her hand trailed lower.

"I think you know what it was about," her hand finally brushed against him. "But you left just as we got to the good part."

He was helpless to stop her as she pushed him against the cold tile and sank to her knees. "Let me know if I do something you don't like," she said before slipping him into her mouth.

Jack wanted to tell her that he'd love whatever she did to him, but his ability to speak vanished at the feel of her hot tongue.

Locking his knees, he fought the urge to thrust into her mouth, instead settling for sinking one hand into her hair.

"Sam," he gritted out when he knew his release was close, and tried to pull her up. She refused to stop; however, as she continued and began humming around him.

 _Tell me when,_ he heard her whisper.

"Now," he growled a few seconds later. She pulled back but kept her hand moving on him as he exploded onto her breasts; the water quickly washing away any sign of his release.

Lifting her to her feet, he seized her mouth. Spinning around he pinned her to the wall and kissed his way down her body.

"You don't have to," she breathed.

"Oh I absolutely want to," he said, pausing to dip his tongue in her naval, earning himself a soft feminine whimper.

Lifting one of her legs, he draped it over his shoulder, opening her core to him. He wasted no time playing out this part of his favorite shower fantasy. As he drove her crazy with his tongue and lips, her fingers curled into his hair and pressed him closer.

It didn't take him long to send her over the edge. His hands gripped her hips, holding her up as he wrung every drop of pleasure from her. Carefully lifting her leg off his shoulder, he stood, his knees only slightly protesting.

Pulling her back into his arms, he gave her a hard kiss before nibbling the sensitive spot on her neck.

"That was one hell of a good morning," he said giving her one more quick kiss before turning the water off and reaching for two large towels. Wrapping her in one, he quickly dried off and hung the other low on his hips.

"It's 9:30 and we need to be back on the base by 11:00," Sam said looking through the bathroom drawers. "Hair dryer?"

"Why would I need one?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Brush?"

"Comb?" He handed her a black plastic one.

"Toothbrush?" She said laughing.

"Ah, that I can do," he opened a cabinet and pulled out a brand new one triumphantly.

"I've got the basics stashed in my locker on the base, but I didn't even think about bringing them last night," she sighed.

"If the ol' doctor lets us go again tonight, why don't we run to your house and get the first part of your things," Jack offered as he squeezed the toothpaste tube. When Sam didn't immediately answer, he looked up to find her staring at him. "Sam?" he asked around the toothbrush in his mouth.

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" She asked, the uncertainty in her voice had him turning to look at her.

"I assumed," he rinsed his mouth and spit, wondering if he'd misread her emotions about their living situation. "We are technically married, but if you don't want to—"

"Of course I want to move in with you," she said, "but do you think it's a good idea right now? There's bound to be an investigation into our relationship."

"I don't think I can bury my feelings for you again," he said more harshly than he intended. "That ship has sailed."

"I feel the same way, but should we openly flaunt what's happened between us? It's one thing to spend one night away from the base; it's quite another to play house while we are under a microscope," she argued. "It's not you who would get reassigned to another team or put on desk duty in a lab."

Jack hated to admit it, but her reasoning did make sense. He'd spent years building a mental dam to block his feelings, but their bond hadn't just cracked the dam, it demolished it.

"You're right," Jack sighed. "So how do you want to handle this?"

"For now, we be careful," she told him, "keep things above the board. We try to get the bonding ceremony recognized and approved, but until then we stay on base and keep things professional at work and in public."

Jack rested his forehead against hers as his hands trailed up and down her bare arms, "so this might be the last time I get to kiss you for a while." The thought of not being able to touch her, taste her, physically hurt, but he knew they needed to do this right.

"I'm afraid so," her voice was sad.

"Then we better not waste any more time," he said gruffly, before meeting her halfway for a definitely-not-work-appropriate kiss.

—POV—

Sam impatiently sat in a hard-backed chair as Janet finished attaching electrodes to her head and torso. Jack was seated across from her already hooked up to the same type of equipment. Her and Jack's decision to hit the breaks on moving in together was heart wrenching, but necessary. While she'd resign her commission in a second to be with him, it wasn't that simple. They had to be in this for the long game and her resigning now would look like an admission of guilt. Kinsey would love that.

No, they loved each other and that would never change; they'd waited the last six years to be together, they could make it another couple of months.

"Alright," Janet said After connecting the last electrode, "I'm going to monitor your vital signs and brainwaves as we work through the tests. We'll start with something simple." She handed Jack a stack of cards. "There is something on each card; I want you to try and project what it is to Sam."

"Easy peasy," Jack said and raised the first card.

Sam replied in less than a second, "red square."

Jack lifted the next card and Sam said, "purple circle."

As he lifted the third card Sam said, "black triangle, isosceles."

"I didn't know you knew the different types of triangles, sir," Janet told him.

"I don't," he sighed.

"Then how—"

"I can see through the Colonel's eyes when I need to," Sam answered, smiling at the doctor's surprised expression.

"Alright, lets try sounds," Janet placed a pair of headphones on Sam's head.

"Really, the Beach Boys?" Jack sighed dramatically, drawing a chuckle from Sam. Janet switched the track to an astrophysics lecture. Closing her eyes, Sam translated the technobabble into something Jack would understand.

"Blackholes and time dilation fields as they pertain to wormhole physics," Jack said slowly. "Did I get that right?"

"Yes, sir," Sam nodded smiling. "That's the gist of it."

"I see we need to move into some more advanced tests," Janet said with a touch of awe.

"Whatcha have in mind, doc?" Jack asked. Sam snickered at his enthusiasm. He enjoyed showing off.

"I want to see if you can both relay and receive information to the other at the same time," she said gathering writing pads and more flash cards. She placed algebraic flash cards in from of Sam and calculus cards in front of Jack, also handing each a writing tablet and pen. "While you each let the other see the card through your link, write the answers on the paper.

Concentrating, Sam saw a derivative problem on Jack's card and quickly solved it, holding it up for Janet to see. Jack was doing the same thing with a factorial problem.

"Again," Janet ordered. When they both completed the next set of problems with correct answers, she made them do it three more times before declaring she was officially impressed.

The tests continued for several more hours as Janet gave them supposedly harder and harder tasks to do. Sam was tired but enjoyed working with Jack to solve the problems. She was learning how to access some rudimentary information in his mind without him specifically giving it to her. In return, he'd been able to obtain enough information to alter a computer program's code correctly. They were both shocked; however, when Janet had asked them to try and shield certain information from each other and they'd both been able to do it. Sam had finished that exercise complaining of a headache, while Jack had a bad case of tinnitus. It appeared that the only adverse effects from their bond manifested when they actively tried to keep secrets from each other.

It was late in the evening when General Hammond came into the infirmary. "Doctor, I need to speak to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, are your tests done?"

"Not even close, sir, but it's nothing that can't wait until later. So far, I've found no adverse effects from their bond. In fact, I'm quite impressed. There could even be military applications for it. The last thing I want to test before submitting my final report is how they handle being separated," Janet told him. "Otherwise, the remaining tests I want to do are for my information only."

"Would you have any reservations signing off on releasing them back into the field?" Hammond asked drawing everyone's sharp attention. Going back into the field wasn't something they'd expected anytime soon.

"Medically, they seem fit for duty. Major Carter still has substantial bruising, but she's returned to active duty in worse shape than this," Janet admitted. "I am a little concerned about their mental health given everything that's happened, but that's a psychologist's call not mine."

"Sir?" Jack asked. "I was under the impression Carter and I were on permanent stand-down until any investigations were completed."

Instead of shining light onto the situation, the General simply said, "both of you follow me."

 _Do you have any idea what this is about?_ Sam asked Jack.

 _No clue,_ he told her as the walked into the General'a office and he motioned for them to sit down.

"I'm going to be blunt," General Hammond told them. "Senator Kinsey has gotten wind of what transpired between you two."

Jack cursed under his breath as Sam felt like sinking into her chair. It suddenly occurred to her that this was the first time she'd had more than s brief conversation with General Hammond since coming back through the Stargate. She knew Jack had told him what transpired, but she thought she should at least acknowledge their situation.

"Sir—" she began, but he held up his hand.

"Colonel O'Neill and your father filled me in on everything that happened off-world. For the record, I don't blame you or Colonel O'Neill for your actions; I'm just happy you are home safe."

"Thank you Sir," Sam said speechless.

"That being said, Senator Kinsey has taken it upon himself to use the events on the planet to convince key people at the Department of Defense and the Senate Intelligence committee to launch a court martial against both of you," Hammond looked apologetic. "Kinsey has involved powerful people who aren't privy to what we do at the SGC. While the Sec Def and the President are adamantly opposed to his actions, they cannot outright intervene without revealing the nature of our work to people who would use it for extortion."

Sam's brain struggled to pay attention after she heard the word court martial. She thought there'd at least be an investigation first!

"I'm assuming it's not possible to read a select group of people into what we do, at least partially, to make this go away," Jack stated. While he voice sounded calm, Sam could feel the anger rolling out of him.

"Unfortunately, no," Hammond sighed, "not without risking the entire program be revealed to the world. Kinsey's been laying the groundwork for something like this for years; he's been waiting for the right situation."

"I'll resign," Jack said suddenly.

"No!" Sam's reaction instant. The SGC and the world needed him. Needed them.

"While I respect the sentiment," Hammond told him, "it won't help in this case. Kinsey ensured the charges are criminal. Even if you resign, you'll still face them, but without any protection from within the chain-of-command."

"How?" Jack asked. "The typical punishment for fraternization is discharge and forfeiture of pay."

"Kinsey is seeking charges of rape. He's accusing you both of sexually assaulting the other," Hammond couldn't quite meet their eyes.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack surged to his feet and paced the small space between the chairs and the door.

"How would it even be physically or criminally possible for both of us to commit rape against the other?" Sam wanted to know.

"All I know is that he's found a way for Colonel O'Neill to be charged with sexual assault for ordering a subordinate to have sex with him, and you are for using artificial means to coerce your CO into non-consensual relations," Hammond explained.

"After all we've done," Sam whispered, "after giving everything—" She wanted nothing more than to run and hide; maybe find a nice little tropical planet somewhere with Jack; however, she knew they couldn't run.

"We are fighting this," she said vehemently.

"Damned right," Jack agreed.

"Of course we are, Major," Hammond told her. "Which is why I asked Dr. Frazier if you both were cleared for duty."

At their silence he continued. "The President has backdated a directive that identifies Major Carter as relieved of duty during the days she was missing in action, which is when your off-world wedding ceremony took place," Hammond nodded to Jack. "Thanks to Dr. Jackson, precedent has been set that off-world marriages are legal and binding on Earth. Based upon that directive and precedent, along with Jack's admission that you both wed willingly, your marriage is valid and took place just within the rules and regulations regarding fraternization. I'm assuming you do not wish to dispute Colonel O'Neill's assertion that you married him willingly?"

"Correct, sir," she said woodenly, not sure where the General was headed with this.

"The Sec Def cannot stop the court martial proceedings Kinsey has put into motion, but he can deem you both essential for world security, which he is doing," Hammond check his watch, "as we speak. That keeps you out of the brig and puts the decision about how to handle your SGC assignments in the hands of your CO." He gave them a small smile before continuing. "I'm ordering you both to return to active duty on SG-1 immediately."

Sam's head was spinning as she listened to General Hammond. They were both facing court martial, were legally married, and still members of SG-1.

"That's a lot to take in, sir," Jack said, mirroring her own feelings.

"I know it is, son," Hammond gave them a sympathetic look. "I've been in contact with our JAG representative. Due to the highly classified nature of our operation, traditional court martial proceedings are impossible. I've arranged for you to meet with your military appointed attorneys this evening to discuss the case. They'll fill you in on what happens next. I expect you both in the briefing room At 0600 hours tomorrow morning. SG-1's next mission begins st 0900 hours tomorrow."

"What about Daniel, sir," Sam asked. "Janet told us he was currently off-world."

"Dr. Jackson is on a special assignment with SG-2 and will join you as soon as possible," Hammond answered.

"How many?" Jack asked.

"How many what?" Hammond cocked his head trying to understand the question.

"Favors, sir. How many did you have to call in to make this happen?" Jack clarified.

"As many as was necessary," was the only answer he gave. "You must realize that all I've done is give you a path to remain at the SGC and on SG-1. I'm afraid there's still a real chance Kinsey could succeed with his court martial."

"True, sir," Sam told him, "but I can't thank you enough for everything you've done." He nodded, accepting her gratitude.

"After you walk out of this office, I am going to have to maintain the appearance of an impartial CO. My only concern will be protecting the integrity of the SGC. Therefore, all of your communications, except those of a legal nature, will be monitored and anything you say can be used against you. You'll need to prove to me that you can handle missions as husband and wife. Don't screw it up and make me regret keeping you on the same team," Hammond warned.

"Understood, sir," they both responded at the same time.

"The meeting with your JAG representatives is in 10 minutes. You'll be using the secure conference room on level 18. As you know, there are no cameras or microphones within that room." The General stood up and crossed to his door. He gave them a quick nod before opening it and assuming a look of immense displeasure. "Dismissed!"

—POV—

General Hammond watched his two favorite officers walk out of his office and down the hall as a sense of trepidation filled him. For now, he'd done everything he could within the confines of military protocols. He might have stretched the rules a bit, but nothing could be construed as inappropriate or unlawful.

The JAG prosecutor had called early this morning and offered him immunity if he'd testify at the court martial. He'd initially told the man where to shove his immunity and that he stood by his order for Colonel O'Neill to rescue Major Carter using any means necessary.

After listening to what the prosecutor proposed; however, he reconsidered. If he never faced charges, then that put him at a better advantage to set his plan in motion, while shielding the SGC.

He knew the President and the Sec Def would not be happy once they found out what Dr. Jackson was doing, especially after they both risked angering Kinsey by making the Colonel and Major's marriage legal and binding.

Closing his office door with a deep sigh, he sat back down at his desk. He wished he could inform Sam and Jack about his and Daniel's plan, but keeping them in the dark was for the best. Picking up his phone, he pressed the button for the control room.

"Walter, dial the alpha site," he ordered. "Patch all communications through to my office using the secure channel."

At the Chief Master-Sergeant's affirmative, he waited for the chevrons to engage and the wormhole to form.

"General Hammond?" Came Daniel's voice.

"Dr. Jackson," he acknowledged in greeting. "How's the weather over there?"

"Sunny skies today, but a chance of rain tomorrow," Daniel answered. "I'm predicting it to clear up by the end of the week."

"Good to hear," Hammond smiled at the coded message letting him know things were going relatively well. "I'm sending you some important technology that we have agreed to share with two of our allies. They are to be hand delivered to the Tok'ra high council and our contacts within the Jaffa rebellion," Hammond told him. "Once that is complete, you are to proceed to the identified planet and retrieve what was discussed."

"Understood, sir. Daniel out."


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, this was supposed to be the last chapter--Jack and Sam had other ideas!

Jack slipped the ball cap onto his head as he and his team approached the Stargate platform. It was a simple act that he'd done a few hundred times before, but the weight of the hat felt so much heavier today.

He and Sam had met with their JAG attorneys the night before, and much to his dismay, he kind of liked them. They didn't sugarcoat anything. His attorney, Kim, had explained that the President's formal approval of their marriage invoked the spousal protections law. Apparently, neither he nor Sam could be compelled to testify against the other. Since they were the only two members of the team present for the majority of the time, it limited the prosecution's case.

Sam's attorney, Kevin, had then laid out their legal strategy. Their first task was to get Sam and Jack off-world to make them legally unreachable for a short while. Kinsey was apparently pushing for a speedy timeline under the guise of getting the matter 'resolved' as quickly as possible. Kevin had explained this was the prosecution's way of forcing the defense, into a defensive position. By keeping them off-world, they literally could not be served with court papers, giving Kim and Kevin the time they needed to put together an offense.

The second part of their strategy was to bring the court martial out of the Air Force's general population and back behind closed doors. Kinsey was trying to argue for transparency within a covert department. He'd riled up the Senate Intelligence Committee about the secrecy of the SGC, and claimed they were recipients of special privileges that flew in the face of the US Military's code of ethics.

A traditional general court martial consisted of five jury officers and one judge. Kim and Kevin wanted to change that due to the nature of Sam Jack's work to one judge who would render summary judgement. In other words, each side would argue their case, then the single objective judge determined their fate. It was a gamble, but the only way to obtain a classified proceeding so all facts could be presented. Otherwise, the prosecution would argue that no impartial jury officers could be found within the SGC—which was actually true; therefore, a general court martial would be the transparent solution. A judge with the proper security clearances was their only viable option to present the nuances of the case.

The entire meeting had taken several hours as both Sam and Jack needed to provide depositions of what had happened on the planet. Their attorneys had been as delicate as possible, but insisted they were told everything. Jack had barely made it through the description of Zabar's attack on Sam. His memories of almost not getting to her in time, coupled with her emotions overwhelmed him. He hadn't realized how much those events had affected either of them. With their connection, it seemed harder than normal to bury the feelings and move forward.

Afterward, Sam had silently led him to the SGC's overnight sleeping quarters. Without a word, she'd locked the door, reached to the back of the security camera and disconnected the feed, then pushed him onto one of the small twin beds. As he looked into her eyes, he had known what they both needed. Without a sound, she climbed into his arms. Shifting onto his side, he tried to make enough room for both of them on the single bed. Neither of them spoke; they didn't have to, simply content to have physical contact with the other. Breathing in her soft scent, he closed his eyes and hadn't woken up until his watch alarm sounded at 0500.

"You have a go," General Hammond announced from the control room, as Jack focused on the task at hand. Their problems needed to wait; Hammond had been adamant this diplomatic mission had to go as planned. SG-12 already made first contact with the planet; but Hammond needed SG-1 to be the Earth's official representatives. This world had already heard of SG-1 heroic efforts against the system lords from one of their allies and refused to negotiate with anyone else.

As he stepped through the event horizon and onto the planet, Jack felt a tickling form at the back of his neck.

 _Something's wrong,_ Sam looked around for danger. _I know you feel it; I feel it too._

"O'Neill," Teal'c said. "I do not believe we are on the right planet. General Hammond indicated the planet we were traveling to was 99% water. All I see is desert."

"Teal'c's right, sir," Sam started down the steps, "this isn't P3X-696."

"Carter, how often would you say we accidentally gate to the wrong planet?" Jack asked.

"Never, sir. Unless of course there was an issue with a solar flare or black hole causing the wormhole to jump."

"Any indications that's what happened this time?" Jack hoped she would say yes, but he already knew her answer.

"No," she frowned, worry lines creased her forehead, "this appears to be a dialing mistake."

"Alright," Jack ordered, "Carter, dial us back home."

"I can't sir, not without knowing the point of origin. I have no clue where we are." As soon as she finished explaining, an incoming wormhole re-engaged.

"SGC, do you read," Jack shrugged at Sam's look of confusion. "Maybe they realized the mistake." Pressing the walkie button, he continued, "we seem to be on the wrong planet. Over."

Walter's voice answered back. "We have a situation here; all gate travel has been suspended. General Hammond has ordered all teams to stay put. We will re-establish contact in 72 hours. If you are in danger, gate to the Alpha site. Do you copy? Over."

"Copy that," Jack answered. "Any chance you can tell us where we are? What's our point of origin?"

No answer was provided as static distorted Walter's reply. The wormhole shut down before Jack could try again.

"Well this is just peachy," he removed his hat and slapped it against his thigh. "I don't suppose either of you packed more than the typical rations and water?"

"I did not," Teal'c replied followed by Sam's "no, sir."

Jack rolled his eyes at her, "I think you can stop with the sir stuff, don't you?"

Sam shot him a look of annoyance as she pulled out her binoculars. "There appears to be a grouping of trees about three clicks from here, that way," she pointed north.

"That would be the most logical choice," Teal'c agreed. "Our first priority must be to find shelter and water, then perhaps Major Carter can figure out where we are."

"Ok kids, let's move out."


	31. Chapter 31

The trek to the clustering of trees was taking much longer than Teal'c had anticipated. The terrain was dry, rocky, and extremely hot. Their gear was of little help since they had packed for a planet that was almost completely water. Despite the fact that Teal'c had been apprised of the supposed _mixup_ of planets, he had to pack as if he didn't know what was going to happen. Unfortunately, that left him in waterproof boots and pants that held in the heat, making the ambient temperature feel much hotter.

After the first click, he and Colonel O'Neill had stripped off their long-sleeved shirts in a bid to alleviate some of the suffocating heat, leaving them in their black t-shirts. After another click, Major Carter had finally given in and stripped hers off, leaving her in a modest grey sports bra. While neither he nor O'Neill had said anything, Teal'c could sense a sizzle of fire snap from O'Neill as Major Carter stripped. Teal'c also watched with amusement as she merely arched an eyebrow as if replying to something being said. O'Neill's unapologetic shrug, followed by the half-smile he saved exclusively for his second-in-command caused Teal'c to hide his own smile. After watching them deny their attraction for so many years, it was refreshing to see them relaxed with one another.

Teal'c's amusement was driven aside, however, by the third click, which was proving to be the hardest. The terrain slowly morphed into a vast, jagged canyon. Instead of hiking side-by-side, they were being forced into a single file line as they tried to stay towards the top of the canyon by following a narrow ledge. While traversing the bottom of the canyon would have been easier, they all knew from experience it could lead to entrapment if there was no exit on the other end.

"Watch your footing," Jack called back to them as he struggled to stay steady on his feet.

Before Teal'c could respond a slight tremble began to shake the ground beneath their feet. A sharp cry from Major Carter had him snapping his head upward just in time to watch O'Neill grab her arm as the ledge under her gave way.

"Sam!" Jack shouted as he jerked her hard towards him. With a loud grunt, she slammed into O'Neill's chest. Teal'c watched in horror as Major Carter's momentum drove O'Neill backwards, causing them both to tumble several feet down the rock face, landing in a heap of arms and legs on the jagged ground.

"O'Neill! Major Carter!" Teal'c called, unable to move as everything began to convulse violently. A massive piece of the canyon crumbled as the quake triggered a rockslide. Unable to reach his friends, Teal'c retreated the way they had come; scrambling toward an area of the ledge that wasn't disintegrating around him. After what seemed like several minutes, the violent upheaval stopped. As the dust settled, Teal'c uttered a Jaffa curse as he realized a large chasm had formed between him and his friends. Even if he could find a way to climb down to them, there was no way he could get across.

"Teal'c!" he heard Sam calling up to him.

"I am here, Major Carter!" he answered. "Are you and O'Neill alright?"

"We are," Jack hollered back, "you alright!?"

"Indeed," Teal'c answered, trying desperately to find a way around the rift. "I'm afraid I cannot find a way to you!"

"Don't try," Sam yelled back. "We're stuck.. There's no way to go except farther down."

"She's right," Jack confirmed. "Carter and I are going to have to climb down and hope there's a way out at the bottom. Head back to the gate and see if you can find an alternate planet. Carter said even though she doesn't recognize half the symbols on the DOD, you might have some luck deciphering the-at least find another planet to gate to if necessary. We'll try to get out of here and head the back, too. If we aren't at the gate in 24 hours, wait for the SGC to contact you and request a search and rescue. We've got enough rations to last approximately four days."

—POV—

Jack turned back toward Sam as Teal'c acknowledged his orders and headed out.

"Jack, you're hurt," she said as she gently pulled on the arms he held tight against his ribs.

"It's not that bad," he tried to force a grin, but it came out as a grimace.

"Yeah, right," Sam rolled her eyes. "You forget you can't lie to me about being in pain anymore." Pulling out her canteen, she held it to his lips and told him to drink. It spoke volumes that he didn't balk at her actions, but instead took long swallows of the water.

"I've had worse," he said once he was finished drinking. She knew that statement to be true.

"Can you climb?" she asked, putting the canteen back in her daypack and pulling out their standard med kit. They only had enough pain killers and antibiotics for a day. Standard procedure was return to the SGC immediately if a member of the team suffered a significant injury. Unfortunately, that was a possibility right now.

"Wrap my ribs tight and I should be able to climb down. Thank god we don't have to go up," Jack sighed. "I've cracked at least one, maybe two ribs."

"I'm sorry," Sam said, lifting the hem of his shirt, getting her first look at the bruising that was already starting to mar his skin.

"Not your fault," he ground out as she probed the area gently. She must have hit a particularly sore spot because his breath inhaled sharply. "Damn, Carter," he ground out.

"Definitely one broken rib," she confirmed. Despite his affirmation that it wasn't her fault, she knew it was. When she slammed into him as they fell, he'd shifted so his body took the majority of the blunt force. She'd likely have broken bones, or worse, if not for him.

 _Not your fault_ , he whispered to her. She hadn't realized a tear slipped from the corner of one of her eyes until he wiped it away from her cheek with his thumb. _Not. Your. Fault._ Giving Jack a quick nod, she pushed her emotions aside and focused on wrapping his ribs.

"Come on," Jack said as she finished up and pulled his shirt back down. "Let's get moving; it's going to take me twice as long to climb injured, and I don't want to be stuck up here in the dark."

—POV—

General Hammond rushed to the gate room as soon as Walter had paged indicating he'd received SG-1's IDC. Something must have gone wrong with the plan because Teal'c wasn't supposed to reveal their location for another four days.

"Teal'c." Hammond greeted, "You're not supposed to be back yet. Where are Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter?" A wave of concern rushed up his spine. Teal'c would never leave his team behind unless it was necessary. Hammond had arranged to send the three members of SG-1 to a safe area; a sort of tropical honeymoon location. Teal'c was supposed to get them to lay low, ensuring the Colonel and Major stayed put for a few days-out of the reach of Kinsey and his goons. The dialing "accident" had been Walter's idea, and a stroke of genius, according to Hammond. The base was currently on lockdown from the outside due to an unknown alien "threat." In reality, the threat was just a new plant one of the scientists had brought back. Hammond ordered the base quarantined until the so-called threat could be mitigated, meaning once the plant was taken back through the stargate in four more days.

The planet he'd actually sent SG-1 to was one the Tok'ra had inadvertently found during a scouting mission. According to Tok'ra intel, the local population were friendly and laid back. As soon as Hammond had mentioned to Jacob the need to make his two officers unreachable, Jacob had offered the planet's gate address. Since it was not part of the SGC's database, Major Carter wouldn't be able to decipher the several new symbols easily, making their immediate return unlikely. It also served as plausible deniability for her and Jack. They were on a planet no one at the SGC actually knew about. It would be an amazing discovery and once she was back, her and Dr. Jackson would have a field day exploring the new symbols and deriving new gate addresses.

"I was separated from the others, with no way to get to them," Teal'c said simply. "Colonel O'Neill ordered me to backtrack and meet up with them at the stargate. He said they were fine, but I believe O'Neill to be hurt. I've come to update you on the situation and acquire some medical supplies from Dr. Fraiser."

"Of course," Hammond led the way to the infirmary. Shaking his head he looked at Teal'c as they walked. "This was supposed to be a relaxing interlude for them before facing the music in Washington," he sighed.

"I believe it still can be," Teal'c reassured him. "O'Neill's injuries were not severe or Major Carter would have said something. I believe some additional pain killers and antibiotics will be sufficient. The standard amount we carry will only last a day, two at most."

Before they reached the infirmary, the base's alarms began blaring.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" Walter's voice rang through the PA system.

"Now what," Hammond growled, taking off in a jog with Teal'c on his tail.

"It's the Tok'ra's IDC, sir," Walter informed them as they entered the control room.

"Open the iris," Hammond ordered and made his way to the gate room.

"George, we've got a problem!" Jacob Carter bypassed any greeting as he emerged from the wormhole and down the ramp.

"Yes we do," Hammond quickly filled him in on what Teal'c had reported.

"I hate to add more to your plate," Jacob shook his head apologetically. "But we need to get Sam and Jack back here ASAP. Ba'al somehow acquired knowledge of the planet we sent them to and he's on his way there now."

"Jesus!" Hammond cursed before ordering Walter to dial the planet where they'd sent SG-1.

"As soon as they're back, send them with me," Jacob suggested. "I'll take them to a secret Tok'ra base; keep them hidden for a few days."

"Unfortunately, that won't be an option," Hammond sighed. "The dialing error was the only way Kinsey couldn't accuse them of obstructing justice. Sending them to you, Sam's father," he stressed, "would raise too many red flags."

"George, you know I'm not letting my daughter go to jail," Jacob said solemnly. "Jack either," he added as an afterthought. "That pain in my ass is starting to grow on me."

Jacob's words pulled a chuckle from Hammond. He already knew, regardless of the outcome of the court martial, Jack and Sam wouldn't serve a day of jail time. Both the Tok'ra and the Asgard had offered them sanctuary upon hearing about the situation, but Hammond was praying it wouldn't come to that.

"Sir," Walter's concerned voice drew his attention. "I can't get a lock."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked alarmed.

"Either the gate on the planet is in use or it's not operable," Walter explained. "Regardless, we can't dial it."

"Keep trying," Hammond ordered as he felt a migraine forming.

"Tell me this is _not_ happening again, George," Jacob growled. "My daughter is _not_ stranded on a planet and in danger!"

Hammond looked at his friend apologetically as he realized everything was going to hell in a handbasket. "Until we can re-establish contact, Sam and Jack are on their own."


	32. Chapter 32

Jack cursed as another wave of pain emanated from his ribs. They'd been climbing downward for the past two hours and had made very little progress. It had taken him too long to figure out how to maneuver without causing much pain. To make matters worse, he heard Sam's sharp intake of breath every time he moved the wrong way. While he could easily deal with the pain, it destroyed him to know he was hurting her. He should be the one to protect and help her, not the other way around. Of course, she merely breathed through any discomfort and continued on, carrying both of their packs. Utterly useless is what he was.

"No you're not," Sam answered his thought aloud. "Besides, there's no one I'd rather be stuck with than you, even if you are acting like a surly caveman."

His reply was a low grunt that even he recognized as caveman-like. Her laugh rang out through the canyon at his thought. The idea of being a caveman triggered a particular memory of a de-evolved Sam attacking him in the locker room. At the time, he'd resisted her advances, but now—well, now he would gladly be the one to help her alleviate any urges. Thinking about it, there were many times over the years that they could have _helped_ each other out of tricky situations. He wondered how long before they'd encounter another civilization with unique societal customs that required them to—

"Hopefully, a long, long time," Sam called over her shoulder. Jack felt his ears turn red as he realized she'd caught him fantasizing.

"Sorry," he offered, but his tone wasn't one bit apologetic.

"We need a break," Sam said stopping to drop their packs.

"I'm fine," he told her ignoring the throbbing in his sides.

"Despite the fact that I know that's a lie," Sam eyeballed him, "I'm stopping because I need to. My muscles are getting fatigued carrying both packs; I don't want to push myself too hard and suffer an injury."

Realizing she was right, he gave her a lopsided smile and sat down on a flat rock, patting the area next to him. She sat and leaned her head against his shoulder. It struck him how intimate this little scene was; how often they'd been in a similar situation, but maintained a respectable distance. That distance wasn't necessary anymore. Along with that realization came a newfound freeness. Despite their impending court martial, his aching ribs, and being lost on an unknown planet, he was content just sitting close to Sam.

"Want a quick massage?" He asked, gently rubbing the back of her neck where it met her back.

"Hmmm," was her answer as he dug his fingers a bit deeper into the muscles. Taking her sigh and little hum as an affirmative, he shifted so he could put both hands on her back. He pushed the twinges of pain aside as his ribs protested the movement; nothing would stop him from this.

"So many times, I wanted to do this when we were off-world," he said quietly. "Every time you'd try to shake off the fatigue and soreness." Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to her skin, enjoying her soft moan. Resuming his ministrations, he dug his thumbs into her muscles until he felt the knots begin to relax.

"You're hands are magical," she said, automatically leaning back against him. At his bit back noise of pain, she sprung up. "Oh Jack, I'm sorry!"

"It's alright," he ground out, "I was caught up in the moment too and didn't even think to stop you." He stood up as the pain receded, watching Sam absently rub her side in the exact spot his hurt.

"Let's get moving," she said picking up their packs. "We've got a ways to go before dark and I've hurt you enough for one afternoon."

Jack wanted to argue, but knew better. No matter what he said, Sam would continue blaming herself for his condition. They were both stubborn like that. Of course, once his ribs healed, he wouldn't let her get away with blaming herself. Maybe he'd hold her down and kiss every inch of her body until that impressive brain of hers stopped thinking and just succumbed to the pleasure. Maybe he could find a way to recreate the fire she'd experienced during their first time together.

"Dammit, Jack!" Sam growled as his thoughts and arousal made her stumble. Laughing, despite the pain it caused, he pressed a quick kiss to her mouth and took the lead, leaving Sam to glare at his back. He could tell she was no longer feeling guilty; instead she was a mixture of aroused and irritated. Mission accomplished.

—POV—

The sun was just setting as they finally made it out of the canyon. Luck was on their side when they'd found some sort of trail upon reaching the bottom.

Sam's side ached with every step as they finally reached the grouping of trees. The setting sun, along with the evening dew, provided much needed relief from the scorching heat.

The blessed relief, however, did nothing to dull the pain she knew Jack was feeling. His playful banter and teasing had stopped quite a ways back, and he'd purposely blocked her from parts of his mind. They needed to double-back and meet up with Teal'c, but there was no way he could continue much longer.

"Jack," she said stopping as they entered the tree line. "Can you make it just a little further?"

"Sure, you betcha," he said with a forced smile. Despite his bravado, the sheen of perspiration against his paling skin, would have told her everything she needed to know about his condition even if they weren't connected.

After a few more hundred feet, Sam called for them to stop and dropped the packs she'd been carrying all day. Dropping to her knees, she immediately searched for the med kit and remaining pain relievers, ignoring her screaming muscles demanding she lay down and rest.

"I'm fine, Sam," Jack groaned easing himself to the forrest floor and propping his back against a tree.

"Take these," she thrust the pills at him, followed by the canteen. Sam nodded in satisfaction as he did what he was told. "Rest there, I'm going to start a fire. I haven't seen any signs of wildlife, but I'm not chancing anything since you can't climb a tree."

"I could climb—," Jack huffed out a painful breath. "You're right, good idea." As she walked away, he called her name. "If I haven't said it already, thank you."

Coming back next to him, Sam knelt, bringing them eye level. "No need," she said seriously. "You'd do it for any member of the team." Leaning forward, she brought her lips a breath away from his. "Besides, I need you operating at full capacity—understand." Making sure not to touch any other part of him except his lips, she lightly traced them with the tip of her tongue before executing the softest kiss she'd ever experienced. Jack responded immediately, but when she felt him begin to deepen the kiss, she pulled back, not wanting to hurt him. Sam smiled at his frustrated grumble, pleased to see something other than pain in his eyes.

"I'll stay in sight, but I've got to get this fire started," she said walking a few feet, bending over to gather fallen limbs, twigs, and anything that could be used as firewood. It didn't escape her notice that she'd inadvertently, or maybe purposefully, angled her stance, giving Jack a perfect view of her backside.

"You're either the most amazing woman in the world of the cruelest," Jack huffed out. "Either way, I won't be out of commission for long."

"I sure hope not," Sam gave him a sexy wink at his veiled threat as she arranged the kindling around the fire starter retrieved from her pack.

Within minutes a small fire had engulfed the dry wood. Sam settled down next to Jack; smiling as he rested a hand on her knee, gently squeezing.

They sat in comfortable silence; everything around them slowly engulfed into total darkness as the sun finished it's decent from the sky. The light from the fire cast shadows across their bodies, the fire snapping and popping. Sam stared into the fire as her mind stilled, as if in a hypnotic trance. Jack's light snore was the only thing keeping her conscious mind active; the sound comforting, something she'd grown accustomed to hearing whenever they spent the night off-world. The soft rhythmic noise, combined with the dancing flames, urged Sam to seek sleep, but she fought the pull. Jack needed his rest, she wanted to give him at least four hours before waking him to take over watch.

Her eyelids grew heavier and her mind sluggish. Reaching for the canteen, she took a long drink, hoping the cool water would wake her up. A shimmer around the fire caught her attention, but she couldn't reason why part of her was alarmed. Her body grew incredibly heavy, sleep becoming imminent, though part of her still struggled to comprehend what she was seeing.

The shimmer hovered closer, now in front of the fire. The particles began forming an object, and with all of her remaining resolve, she forced her herself to speak.

"What are you?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Sleep," a deep voice said as the shimmer finally took form. "Just sleep."

Sam tried to speak again, instinctively knowing something wasn't right, but darkness engulfed her mind as she finally succumbed to the pull of sleep.


	33. Chapter 33

Sam jerked awake as a large hand closed over her mouth.

"Shhh," at Jack's whispered command she was immediately silent.

 _You with me?_ Jack asked her, lessening his hold.

 _I'm good,_ she confirmed, slowly sitting up. They were in a white, sterile-looking room; the walls seemed to have a silver sheen to them. She was still dressed in her BDUs, but they appeared much cleaner than she remembered. Glancing at Jack's attire, it was obvious his BDUs were also clean with any rips mended.

 _Yeah, my ribs and my clothes are fixed,_ he confirmed before she could ask.

 _Where are we?_ Sam asked.

 _I was hoping you could tell me._ He sent her a worried look. _What happened last night._

Sam's memories were fuzzy, but she remembered something shimmery. Gasping as her memory flooded back, she played the scene in her mind so he could see it, too.

 _So some shimmer-man-thing, lulls us to sleep, kidnaps us, heals me, and cleans our clothes?_ His look was incredulous.

 _If it had wanted us dead, I don't think we'd be conversing now, sir._ She tacked on his honorific out of annoyance; she didn't know any more than he did.

_How do you know we aren't dead?_

Without much thought, she grabbed the skin on the back of his arm and pinched hard. His sudden suppressed yelp and subsequent glare gave her a sense of irritated satisfaction.

 _Ya feel that? Sir._ When he didn't respond, she added, _guess that means you aren't dead._

_Damn, Sam, that hurt. What's wrong with you?_

A sharp retort was on the tip of her mind when she stopped short. What _was_ wrong with her? She would never intentionally inflict harm on another person, especially Jack.

 _I'm sorry_ , she shook her head. _You didn't deserve that; I don't know why I did it._

"Anger is often an after-effect of the healing sleep," a deep voice said as a dark-skinned man walked into the room. His skin possessed the same silver sheen as the walls. "The more a person resists, the more volatile they tend to be upon awakening. You fought hard to stay awake," he reached a hand toward her.

Jack quickly stepped forward, blocking the outreached hand from reaching her, "who are you?"

She stepped sideways to stand even with Jack. "How did you know what we were thinking?"

"Appropriate questions," he said with a smile. "Your reputations are well earned, Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter." His knowledge and use of their full names shocked Sam, but Jack didn't show any outward reaction. The man appraised Jack, arching an eyebrow, much like Teal'c. "I am T'Mar, leader of Caelitum."

"Shimmer," Sam said. "That's Latin for shimmer."

"Your knowledge always amazed me," T'Mar said with a chuckle.

"Do I know you?" Sam was uneasy, yet her gut told her this man was important, someone to be trusted. His eyes; they seemed so familiar.

"To answer your second question," T'Mar said, ignoring Sam. "I have a similar connection to the one you both share, the same frequency if you will. The bonding ceremony on Creetia altered your DNA in many ways that are beyond your understanding."

"You know us and about our time on Creetia," Jack looked T'Mar skeptically. "What else do you know?"

"Too much," T'Mar clasped his hands behind his back and sighed, "but yet not enough."

"I'm changing my question," Jack said with a sigh that matched T'Mar's, " _what_ are you?"

"Relax Jack," T'Mar smiled soothingly. "You and Samantha are in no danger from me. Of that you can be absolutely certain."

"Forgive me if we don't take your word on that," Jack stared at the man, but T'Mar only chuckled as if amused.

"Are you an ascended?" Sam asked. She'd been watching T'Mar interact with them and one thing was abundantly clear—if he had wanted them dead, they would be already.

"No, I'm not," T'Mar frowned. "Although, we do share similar rules; one I am breaking right now by interacting with you."

"Why aren't the ascended stopping you?" Jack's voice was hesitant as he looked around, as if waiting for something to happen.

"While I may agree with some of their rules, the ascended are nothing like me," T'Mar's eyes snapped with fire. "They know their place," he added, his tone seemed to dare any ascended being to try and interfere.

Sam glanced at Jack. She was at a loss on what to do. He only shook his head, helpless as well. Why would T'Mar interact with them; what did he want?

"Your fate is not written in stone; your destiny fluid," T'Mar suddenly said. "Your choices are your own."

Jack sighed heavily, "why do supposedly wise and powerful beings always spout cryptic bullshit?. For once, I'd like one of you to just spell it out for us; you know, cause I'm not as intellectually advanced."

"You downplay your intelligence, Jack, you always have, but I will do as you ask." T'Mar shook his head, as if accustomed to Jack's antics. "You were not sent here by accident. It was your fate to be here, but so many random elements had to align to make it possible; your choices and the choices of those around you had to happen in a very specific way. The Tok'ra who stumbled upon this planet; your father's blending with Selmac, so he could give the gate address to your General; your choices on Creetia; Kinsey's path to power, so he could force charges against you; your General's decision to temporarily strand you here—so many elements had to align. A single different choice by anyone would have effectively altered your destiny."

"You're talking about butterfly effect," Sam's mind spun at what T'Mar was describing.

"Exactly," T'Mar smiled gently, "it's easy for me to see the path that led you to this specific point. Trying to look forward to ensure path is impossible. I see all possible outcomes, but to interfere throws them into chaos. I had to wait and hope what was foretold would come to pass."

"So Hammond did purposely send us here," Jack confirmed.

"Indeed," T'Mar slightly bowed his head, reminding Sam of Teal'c. Teal'c! Before she could put words to her thought, T'Mar continued. "Your friend is safely back home and will not be returning."

T'Mar's eyes suddenly glazed as he stared at a random point in space, much the same way she and Jack did when communicating through their bond. He focus snapped back to them. "Our time grows short, and I need you to understand. Those who stumble upon this planet see what they need to see. The Tok'ra who found it experienced a friendly and open society, which led to your father suggesting it as a type of safe haven for you. In reality, this planet is a gateway between this plane of existence and others. It exists simultaneously anywhere and everywhere, both within and outside this reality."

"You're describing quantum entanglement on a massive scale," Sam said shocked.

"Quantum what?" Jack asked her.

"Imagine us here and now, but also at a different point in time, standing on this planet in another universe—but also still here; still us," Sam tried to explain. "It's been theorized that wormholes are manifestations of quantum entanglement, but what T'Mar is describing is beyond my imagination."

"Beyond your imagination for the moment," T'Mar said.

"Are you implying Carter is going to have a role in creating this place?" Jack gestured around them. "Not that I'd be surprised."

"Perhaps you both do, perhaps you don't. As I said, your destiny is fluid."

Sam watched as Jack studied T'Mar; the famous O'Neill gut was deciding whether to believe him or not.

"Why reveal all of this to us?" Jack finally said, the decision made. "What do you want from us?"

"Even as we speak, the one you call Ba'al approaches. He's learned of your situation and seeks your capture. If he finds nothing here, he'll destroy the planet in an attempt to end you. Destroy it here—"

"Destroy it everywhere," Sam finished for T'Mar. "It can't exist simultaneously everywhere if it ceases to exist at a single point. Gah! This is making my head hurt!"

"If you are so powerful, why not just make the planet disappear?" Jack asked.

"You're here," T'Mar said. "Taking either of you outside of your own space/time journey in this existence would threaten what we've built more than Ba'al ever could."

"I knew it!" Jack exclaimed. "This place does have something to do with us."

"We need you—I need you," T'Mar corrected, "to stop Ba'al. But the choice is yours. You can choose to walk away. Do nothing. Return to Earth through the Stargate, and your present lives will not be affected; Ba'al will not succeed in capturing you."

"If we leave, why can't you just hide the planet once we are gone?" Sam needed to know.

"Ba'al is already here." As if choreographed, a loud blast shook the room. Sam grabbed onto Jack's arm as they struggled to regain their balance.

"If the ascended dare not cross you, then why not just stop Ba'al yourself?" Jack demanded.

"Quantum paradox," Sam answered for him. "He's not really from this time or place. He exists outside the quantum field, so he risks too much by interfering." Sam looked to T'Mar for confirmation, but she was beginning to understand. It finally made sense why the ascended had such strict rules. At T'Mar's silence, she knew she was right.

Sam shared a long look with Jack; they could flee, escape, but doom whatever this place was. Or they could stay; fight Ba'al without any backup. There was no choice to make. "Of course we'll help."

As soon as she uttered the words, T'Mar vanished and the room around them dissolved. Sam gasped at the shimmering city towering around them. The tall buildings twinkled as the sun reflected off of what seemed to be billions of particles.

"Are you seeing this?" She breathed in awe.

"It's beautiful," Jack replied, equally amazed.

No sooner than the city shimmered to life, it disappeared, leaving them standing next to the Stargate where their journey had begun almost 24 hours prior.

The gate whirled to life as an incoming wormhole was being dialed in.

"Ba'al," Jack growled. "Damn, T'Mar, you could have at least given us some weapons, a plan, anything!" He yelled into the sky.

"There's no place to take up a defensive position," Sam frantically tried to come up with an idea. They were sitting ducks.

"The two of us with a just pair of P-90s and berettas don't stand a chance," Jack took her face in his hands. "Our only option is to surrender and fight from the inside." He kissed her hard, before pulling back. "We'll make it through this; we've been in worse spots."

Sam rested her forehead against his, steeling herself for what was to come. Allowing their bond to envelope her, she reached for calm. In the quietness, her subconscious picked through the memory of what had just happened, seeing it through both their eyes.

"Oh my god, Jack," she gasped pulling back and staring into his familiar gaze. "T'Mar, he had your eyes."


	34. Chapter 34

Jack kept his link with Sam wide open as the Jaffa led them through the Goa'uld mother ship and into Ba'al's throne room. With a jab to the back of his legs, he was forced to kneel in front of the false god. He didn't dare a glance at Sam, afraid of drawing attention to her even as she was thrown down beside him.

 _You okay?_ He asked, thankful for their connection. It was the only think keeping him sane as his mind remembered the last time he and Ba'al faced off.

 _Pissed as hell, but fine_ , Sam told him. Her inner strength soothed his soul.

"We meet again, O'Neill, as I knew we would," Ba'al's eyes flashed, his tone sadistic. "And I see you've brought a friend; the infamous Samantha Carter."

Jack fought against the urge to attack the bastard. The way Ba'al said her name sent chills down Jack's spine.

"Glad to see you missed me," Jack quipped instead, regaining the snake's attention. "I'd like to request better accommodations this time. Last time they were the pits."

Ba'al threw back his head in laughter, the sound perverted by his Goa'uld voice. "You're audacity pleases me O'Neill, I shall take immense pleasure in breaking you. Again."

With a quick motion he silently ordered a Jaffa to press a pain stick against Jack's back. Lightening tore through his body as the blinding pain engulfed him. Beside him, Sam's reaction was instantaneous, the agony transferring through their bond.

"Stop!" Ba'al ordered, slowly circling them both, but keeping his eyes focused on Sam. "Interesting." He leaned down, grasping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her eyes to his. "It appears much has happened since your last visit," he directed to Jack without taking his gaze from Sam.

Jack said nothing, just spat saliva and blood from biting his tongue at Ba'al's feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mixture of rage and disgust on Sam's face.

Releasing her, Ba'al took the the pain stick from the Jaffa and pressed it lightly against Sam's shoulder. Jack surged forward, trying to stop him. "You bast—" he screamed before collapsing as both he and Sam failed to suppress their joint cry.

Ba'al laughed in delight as he hauled Sam upright. "I have only heard stories of such bonds occurring between two beings, but never of such between two Tau'ri." Roughly gripping Sam's hair, he jerked her around, pressing her back against his front, and turned to Jack. "Perhaps we should see if you can feel everything she feels, hmmm?"

Jack struggled against the Jaffa holding him before he was once again struck with the pain stick. Sam reacted immediately, her head slamming back into Ba'al's face, causing him to rear back.

"You idiot!" He roared at the Jaffa holding Jack. "Whatever you do to one, the other feels!" Ba'al threw Sam down next to Jack, as he pressed his hand against his nose.

"Serves you right," Sam bit out, forcing a smile at their captor.

"Take them!" Ba'al ordered. "I'll wipe that smile off your face; you'll be begging for my mercy," he promised.

"Promises, promises," Jack and Sam said in unison. Ba'al glared at them, but said nothing as they were hauled out of his sight.

—scene—

Jack made his way over to Sam as Ba'al's first prime engaged the holding cell's force shield.

"Why did we agree to this?" She groaned, rolling over once they were alone.

Positioning them so her head rested in his lap, Jack lightly rubbed her scalp with his nails. The sensation was the only thing he remembered helping the residual pain from the sticks.

"Because we're the good guys," he said, not entirely convinced that was a good enough reason.

With a grunt, Sam forced herself into a sitting position facing him. "Thanks," she said running her hands through her hair. "I wish you didn't know from experience how to make that headache go away."

He shrugged, not wanting to think about the last time he occupied a cell like this.

"What's the plan?" Sam said, all business.

"Well, it feels like the hyperdrive engines are engaged, so we're probably moving away from the planet—that's good," he reasoned. "Sam," he said seriously, "I only escaped last time because Lord Yue attacked Ba'al. I don't—"

"Shhh," she clasped both sides of his face. "You aren't alone this time. We've been in worse spots," she used the same words he had on the planet.

Jack allowed her calmness to soothe the fear he couldn't push away. He was putting on a brave facade, but in truth he was scared. Of course, what terrified his soul was knowing what Ba'al would do to Sam. He'd gladly suffer torture over and over again if the bastard would leave her alone. Unfortunately, Jack had had a front row seat to Ba'al's brand of cruelty; he'd use Sam to dismantle him piece by piece.

"You are stronger than him," Sam whispered fiercely. "We can do anything if we are together."

"She's right," T'Mar's voice rang through the air as he shimmered in front of them. His form wasn't entirely solid. "You are stronger than him and he knows it."

Jack surged to his feet, pulling Sam with him. "If you're here to get us out, now would be a perfect time," he said, but knew in his gut they wouldn't be that lucky.

"I cannot interfere," T'Mar said sadly.

"Then why are you here?" Sam asked acidly.

"To let you know, you will survive this," T'Mar bowed his head.

"Oh gee," Jack spread his arms wide, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "That makes me feel so much better!"

"I know you think I'm being heartless, but one day you'll realize…," his voice trailed off before pinning them with a hard stare. "Trust you bond." With a soft shimmer, he disappeared.

Jack sucked in a sharp, deep breath. "I'm really starting to hate that guy."

—POV—

Daniel Jackson walked through the stargate and back onto Earth, exhausted, dirty, and excited. He'd been crisscrossing the galaxy in an effort to wage an offensive against Kinsey.

"General Hammond," he rushed down the ramp, "it's done. All proposed members of the United Planets Coalition have signed the charter."

"Welcome home Dr. Jackson," Hammond's tone made Daniel stop short. He expected the base's commander to be happier about the news.

"What's wrong?" Daniel saw Jacob and Teal'c walk into the room. "Why isn't Teal'c on the planet with Jack and Sam?"

"We have run into a problem, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said more somberly than normal.

"We lost contact with the planet a week ago," Hammond informed him. "Teal'c was forced to return to Earth prematurely due to unexpected seismic activity on the planet's surface that separated him from Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. We haven't ben able to reestablish a stable wormhole."

"So why not send the Prometheus to fetch them," Daniel's felt sick to his stomach. They would have done that already.

"The Prometheus reached the coordinates of the planet yesterday," Hammond said. "There was nothing there."

"It's destroyed?!"

"No, Daniel," Jacob said sadly, "it's just gone." Lowering his head, Selmac assumed control. "A Tok'ra ship was also dispatched and sensors indicate there was never a planet there to begin with."

"That's…not possible," Daniel shook his head in disbelief.

"It gets worse," Hammond said. "Tok'ra intel indicates Ba'al's mother ship was at the coordinates of the planet for less than an hour before jumping into hyperspace."

"We do not know conclusively if Jack and Sam were on the planet when it disappeared or if they were captured by Ba'al," Selmac interjected before Jacob reassumed control. "A Tok'ra operative is on board Ba'al's ship," Jacob said. "We are waiting on confirmation if Jack and Sam are there."

Daniel cringed at the implications of Jack being Ba'al's prisoner again. He knew first hand how close his friend had come to not making it home last time. If Ba'al was torturing Sam, too; well, Daniel didn't want to think about it.

"I've ordered SG-3 and 13 to be on standby for a rescue mission as soon as we have confirmation," Hammond told him. "In the meantime, report to the infirmary for your standard checks and then come to my office. I want to get that charter signed by the President before Kinsey gets wind of it."

"Yes, sir," Daniel said as he headed towards Dr. Fraiser. Teal'c fell into step beside him.

"You were successful," Teal'c stated.

"I was."

"Of this I had no doubt," Teal'c said. Daniel wished he had the faith in himself that Teal'c did. There were several times where he had thought he'd failed. Getting the Asgard to agree to UPC was easy; their relationship with Earth had proven to be mutually beneficial. The Tollen and the Tok'ra, on the other hand, had proven to be exceedingly difficult. The Tollen were, of course, suspicious and reluctant to share technology. The Tok'ra wanted many concessions on keeping their operatives classified, which made the Tollen even more suspicious. Then there was the rebel Jaffa. Originally, Teal'c was supposed to approach Bra'tac and the rebel Jaffa; however, Daniel had to see to the task once his friend was sent to the planet with Sam and Jack.

Despite the many difficulties, Daniel had prevailed. The one key point the Asgard, Tollen, Tok'ra, and Jaffa had agreed on was that Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter were the only Tau'ri representatives they wanted on the inaugural UPC.

Assuming the President signed the charter, each world's two representatives would become dual citizens of their home planet and the UPC. The UPC would become a separate governing entity that negotiated and made decisions in the best interests of the entire galaxy, not just a single planet. Daniel had made sure the agreement was specific and binding in terms of dual citizenship, so that Sam and Jack would be considered both foreign and domestic diplomats, thus granting them diplomatic immunity in the eyes of the United States government. It was a risky move, but would add a substantial roadblock to Kinsey's trumped-up charges.

Daniel stopped outside the infirmary and looked at Teal'c. His face was etched with worry. Instead of celebrating, Daniel needed to get Janet to clear him medically, so they could get to his office. There had to be some mention of a disappearing planet in the texts he'd collected over the years. Certainly, beings with the technology to hide an entire planet could help locate Sam and Jack.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: There are descriptions and references to non-graphic torture.

The sound of someone groaning was the first thing Sam heard as she regained consciousness. Slowly uncurling from a fetal position, she realized the sound was coming from her own throat.

"Finally," Ba'al's deep voice reverberated through her body. She shuddered, causing a cascade of pain, ripping another groan from her. "I feared I would have to end our fun and throw you into the sarcophagus early today," he laughed.

"Go fuck yourself," Sam heard Jack say as she finally opened her eyes. Across the room, Jack was chained to the wall, his arms stretched high above his head, giving Ba'al easy access to torture him. Each time the Goa'uld had used the ribbon device, pain stick, or knives, he'd watched Jack's reactions as Sam experienced his pain. Without laying a single finger on her, Ba'al had effectively beat her close to death.

"Such insolence!" Ba'al smiled. "You must enjoy causing Samantha pain," he held the ribbon device over Jack's forehead again and activated it. Sam ground her teeth together, forcing the scream to remain inside. "Throw them into the sarcophagus!" Ba'al spat when he failed to illicit a response from either of them after several more minutes.

She stiffened, knowing what would happen next, as two Jaffa hauled her up by her arms and dragged her across the room. Unceremoniously, they dumped her inside. The last thing she heard was the familiar sound of them unhooking Jack from the wall and dragging him across the floor.

—POV—

"C-come on, S-Sam," Jack said as he tried to shift his body weight to the side, goving her move room in the cramped sarcophagus. "Come back to me," he ground out, "you can do it."

At her quick indrawn breath, he relaxed a little, knowing she was about to regain consciousness. They'd been through this same routine so many times Jack had lost count. To Ba'al's credit, he hadn't actually killed them yet, just brought them right to the brink. Jack figured the bastard was too afraid he'd break their bond through death and prematurely end his fun. Neither Jack nor Sam were inclined to tell him the bond was supposed to continue even in death.

"J-Jack," Sam's voice sounded raw. The entire right side of her face was swollen, just like Jack's. Ba'al had discovered within the first week that making Sam experience Jack's torture resulted in much more pain for her. Unfortunately, his high threshold for pain was agony for Sam. For the first time since bonding with her, Jack wished they weren't connected.

"Don't think that," she said with a weak cough as she became alert. "Remember what T'Mar said."

"Just hang on, we'll be healed in a few minutes," he sidestepped answering her, thankful as the sarcophagus powered up. Bright, white light blinded him as his body was engulfed in heat. Each contusion, cracked rib, broken bone, and slash burned as if on fire as he was healed. Underneath him, Sam whimpered as her wounds knitted themselves closed. Nausea tore through him as the light started to fade and the sarcophagus opened.

"On your feet!" Ba'al's first prime ordered, jerking Jack up and out. Sam scrambled after him, her body fully healed. Jack always fought a little harder than necessary, knowing it gave Sam just enough extra time to get out of the sarcophagus without a Jaffa manhandling her.

"We know the way," Jack rolled his eyes as the first prime shoved him forward. "Not like we haven't done this song and dance before." He stopped struggling once Sam was on her feet and beside him.

When they failed to make the turn down the hallway that would lead to their holding cells, the Jaffa said, "Lord Ba'al has other plans for you tonight."

"Oh goody," Jack tried to remain flippant, but his stomach clenched at the knowledge that today's activities clearly weren't finished yet.

Rounding the corner, his gut clenched as they were led to Ba'al's throne room. Two Jaffa abruptly separated him from Sam; forcing them to sit in Goa'uld chairs facing each other. He felt Sam's panic rising as they were restrained with metal bands across their arms, legs, and heads.

"I've grown tired of your games," Ba'al sighed dramatically as he approached them. "Transferring physical pain from one to the other no longer amuses me." Removing the lid to an ornate box, Ba'al grinned as he pulled out a mature symbiote. "But I am interested in what will happen once one of you is taken as a host. Can one symbiote control both of you?"

Jack jerked against his restraints, the metal biting into his skin. Across from him, Sam fought against her bonds as well. The anger and fear he saw in her eyes mirrored his own.

"Now which one of you shall we choose to be host," Ba'al held the symbiote up to Jack's face; the hissing causing him to cringe. Withdrawing the snake, Ba'al carried it over to Sam.

_Jack_ , her thoughts shook with fear despite the look of rage she directed at their captor. _Our bond, it—_

"No!" Jack fought; the restraints slicing into his skin as he tried to stop what was happening. With a sickening crunch, the symbiote lunged out of Ba'al's hands and drilled itself into the back of Sam's head.

—POV—

The pain was blinding and immediate. Unlike Jolinar, who had made the blending as painless as possible, this symbiote was hell-bent on making the process excruciating. Sam instinctively knew the level of pain was meant to disorient the host, allowing the Goa'uld to seize control without much resistance.

_Sam!_ Jack's voice tore through the pain as she felt her mind being tugged. _C'mere, I've got you._

A brilliant white light shimmered as the pain receded. When her vision cleared she found herself standing in her and Jack's sacred space. The door to their mental room was shut, but a low, incessant pounding sounded in the background.

_You should be safe here,_ Jack said, engulfing her in his embrace. _It's supposed to be only for us._

Sam sighed as the last of the pain the symbiote inflicted on her eased away. It was a strange feeling, knowing a snake was in your head, trying to take over. Without being told, she could feel the Goa'uld's emotions, its anger at not being able to complete its possession. She could also taste its terror when she effectively refused to give in.

_You've been right so far,_ Sam told Jack, slightly pulling back while keeping her arms looped around his neck. Every time Ba'al's torture has become too much, they had eventually retreated to this _space_. Luckily, Ba'al hadn't figured it out because they forced themselves to endure as much as possible before retreating. Their bodies still responded, their screams still echoed as he'd used his knives, acid, and whips on them. Their minds, however, escaped to the safety their bond provided, at least until they left their space. Once they left, the pain flooded back in unrelenting waves.

On one particularly grueling day, when Ba'al's sadism reached new heights, Sam remembered curling herself into Jack's " _body"_ as she cried in anger and frustration as Ba'al used acid on her to torture Jack. Her tears were not from the pain she experienced before her mind retreated, unbearable as it was, no—the tears were because it was the closest she'd come to experiencing a small fraction of what Jack had endured the last time Ba'al held him prisoner. That time, there had been no reprieve for Jack, no bond, no special place for him to sink into.

The pounding in the background suddenly ceased; the quietness snapping Sam's attention.

_When Zabar had me,_ she told Jack quickly, _he said symbiotes could not completely take over because of the bond._

_I remember that from the debrief,_ Jack said, but his eyes were guarded. _I also remember it drove the_ _bastard_ _insane._

_We're different_ , Sam told him with conviction. She didn't understand how, but she knew their bond was unique. _T'Mar told us to trust our bond._

_You really want to put your faith in that guy?_ Jack scoffed.

_I think we have to._ Sam shrugged. _We mean something to him, and as much as I hate to admit it, I know he is something to me. To us._

_I sensed it too,_ he begrudgingly admitted. _So what now?_

Sam steeled herself, gathering her courage and resolve as she pulled away from Jack and walked toward the door. The pounding began anew, growing louder, more frantic, the closer she came.

_Now, we trust ourselves and kick some Goa'uld ass,_ she said before flinging the door wide open.

—-POV—

Dr. Daniel Jackson tried to rub the fatigue from his eyes as he slammed the book on ancient Celtic myths shut. He'd spent the last 12 hours going further and further down a rabbit hole that led to nothing more than another dead end. Every time he thought he'd caught a break on figuring out a piece of the disappearing planet mystery, reality came back to bite him in the ass.

Almost every ancient civilization they'd encountered had tales about disappearing, vanishing, or invisible entities, but none of them spoke about origins or if these entities came from the heavens. Most of the accounts he'd read were nothing more than embellished stories created by bards and minstrels to entertain the masses.

"Any luck, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c inquired as he walked into the dimly lit office.

"Unfortunately, no," Daniel sighed as he reshelved the worn book and reached for another. "I'm hoping one of these books I've collected from the planets we've visited will give me some sort of clue. Planets just don't go missing." At least he didn't think they did. Considering they hadn't really explored beyond their own galaxy, it was possible the phenomenon could have been natural.

"It wasn't natural," a disembodied voice said, causing Teal'c to take a defensive posture as Daniel reached for the zat he kept close by. The entire room filled with a silver shimmer, blinding both men. Reaching out blindly, Daniel hit the panic button located just under his desk that would alert base security there was a problem. Red lights and sirens blared for less than a half-second before all sound and movement came to a halt. As the shimmer dimmed, Daniel rapidly blinked his eyes against the abrupt light change. Standing in front of him was a deeply bronzed-skin man whose skin literally shimmered, much like the light that had filled the room.

"Hello Daniel, Teal'c," the man slightly bowed towards them, in a perfect replication of Teal'c's trademark move.

"Do we know you?" Daniel asked warily as he glanced out the doorway. Everyone in the hallway appeared to be frozen in mid-motion. He hadn't seen anything like this since his interactions with the amended ancients.

"Not yet, but you will," the man grinned widely at them.

"That's not confusing at all," Daniel rubbed the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "Are you saying you're from our future?"

"Future, past, present," T'Mar sighed, "it's all relative. Doctor Who was more right that you'll ever know."

"Doctor who?" Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"It's an Earth television show spanning six decades," Daniel told Teal'c before turning on T'Mar. "What the hell do you know about Earth television—don't think you can just change the subject and I'll forget my question." Daniel scolded the man, the action feeling strangely familiar.

"You always told me Doctor Who would serve me well; you were right," T'Mar shrugged. "The moral center of the show does resonate out there," he gestured haphazardly upward.

"Who are you?" Daniel was incredulous. This being in front of them exuded power, but also seemed like a long lost friend. Perhaps he was using telepathic abilities to pull random facets of Daniel's memory, but he felt eerily familiar, like he mattered to Daniel.

"I'm the one you seek," T'Mar said suddenly serious.

"You made the planet disappear," Teal'c said with a sense of trepidation in his voice, an emotion Daniel rarely heard from the Jaffa.

"For lack of a better understanding, yes," T'Mar bowed slightly forward again. "If Samantha were here, she could perhaps explain it, but I have neither the inclination nor the time. She and Jack need you."

"Where are they?" Daniel asked moving forward.

"They are alive," Teal'c stated at the same time.

"Yes," T'Mar confirmed then turned to Daniel. "As we speak, they are escaping Ba'al's grasp, but they will require assistance soon."

"How do you know all of this? Who are you?"

"Here is the gate address you'll need to retrieve them," T'Mar ignored the question as he waived his hand over Daniel's chalk board. Seven perfectly drawn Stargate symbols appeared. "Move quickly. Go now."

"At least tell us your name," Daniel begged as the room started to shimmer again.

"My name is T'Mar, but I'll always be JC to both of you." With another brilliant shimmer, the room was engulfed in brightness. The deafening silence of the base exploded into loud chaos as the light faded as quickly as it had come. Three security guards rushed into the office, followed by General Hammond as Daniel and Teal'c could only stare at the spot T'Mar had occupied seconds ago.

"General Hammond," Daniel said without turning his head, fearing that the gate address would suddenly disappear. "We know where Jack and Sam are."

—————To be continued in the next chapter—————


	36. Chapter 36

Sam's rapid heartbeat and shallow breaths filled the blackness around them as Jack shifted slightly, trying to give her as much space as possible in the tiny escape pod. "I never knew you were claustrophobic, Carter," he forced a chuckle trying to lighten the mood and help them both calm down.

"Didn't used to be," her voice strained as she tried to catch her breath. "That damn snake must have had some sort of repressed Goa'uld memory that triggered the phobia."

Now that sounded like his Carter, using way to much explanation in order to cover her unease. Right after she had thrown open the _door_ , he'd been completely disoriented. As his mind slammed back into his physical body, he couldn't comprehend the amount of pain he was experiencing; it took all Jack's willpower not to pass out. Across from him, Sam's eyes had flashed bright gold as she literally ripped the restraints from her body. Jack, fighting for coherency, had recoiled at the sight, unable to squelch the look of disgust on his face from the fear of what was happening to her.

Ba'al, unaware of the battle between Carter and the Goa'uld, had been pleased when Sam reared upward, believing the symbiote had assumed control. The System Lord's face changed to dumbstruck as Sam landed a right hook that knocked the bastard backwards.

What happened next was something Jack couldn't even begin to comprehend. He both watched and experienced the agonizing death of the symbiote within Sam. Grasping at her head, she released a guttural scream as a wave of unfettered power emanated outward from her in every direction. The Jaffa surrounding them fell where they stood, knocked out cold by the blast. Even Ba'al's force shield did nothing to counteract the energy as he, too, was rendered unconscious.

She turned to Jack with a hurt and confused look before she had collapsed, the pain and disorientation in his head vanishing as she hit the ground. Realizing the restraints holding him had been loosened during the burst of power, Jack wasted no time grabbing a zat and throwing Sam over his shoulder. He ran to the escape pods, pushed her inside, and followed her in, rather than take the chance of being separated while she was unconscious.

The pod, not built for two people, had landed roughly upon whatever planet was below the mother ship, damaging the hatch's release mechanism. Jack calculated it had been no more than 10 minutes since they'd crashed before Sam regained consciousness; all semblance of the symbiote gone from her mind. Skipping the pleasantries, Jack had immediately explained where they were, electing to put off the conversation about what had happened on the ship until he knew they were safe. Slipping into soldier mode, both had immediately began working in the confined space to get the door open; more so Sam working and Jack trying in vain to give her enough room.

At first, Jack had thought her wariness was just a byproduct of everything that had happened, but he kept catching snatches of tumultuous emotions. He sensed her growing unease at from being around him; wanting nothing more than to get out of the pod and away—from him. Considering she was literally laying on top of him, he couldn't give her the distance she so desperately wanted, which only added to her frustration. It was the first time since the bonding that Jack was having difficulty understanding Sam's reactions. Why was she angry and afraid of him?

Sam shifted clumsily over him as she stretched to reach something above his head, her knee pressing a little too firmly against a sensitive spot as it moved upward. At his quick indrawn breath she muttered a quiet apology.

"S'okay," he said, grabbing her thigh and pulling it out from between his legs and over his hips. As she settled more firmly against him in this new position, he couldn't help his body response to hers, despite his brain screaming now wasn't the time or place. He noted with dismay that her desire for space only increased as her body began to respond to his. He tried to put space between their bodies in an attempt to ease her discomfort, but the action was having the opposite affect. Sam pressed her palms firmly against his chest in a silent plea for him to stop.

"Jack," she said barely louder than a whisper, glancing briefly at him for the first time since regaining consciousness.

"Sam, I—"

"It's okay," she said sadly, returning her focus to getting the hatch open.

"It's not," Jack argued, shifting again, his hips accidentally bucked her upwards. Her head hit the top of the pod with a soft thud. "Crap, sorry," he rubbed the back of her head gently.

"It's okay," she said for the second time in just a few seconds making him wince.

"Look at me," Jack urged, his hands dropping to rest on her hips. They needed to clear the air. If the tension between them grew anymore, they'd suffocate. What had happened to her scared the hell out of him. She might want distance to sort it all out, but he needed to know what was going on. "Don't make me make it an order," he said applying gentle pressure to her hips to get her attention.

The anger and unshed tears he saw swimming in her crystal blue eyes as she finally obeyed tore through his heart. While he struggled to comprehend her emotions a few seconds before, the intensity of them ripped through him as she finally stopped trying to hide. He expected the fear she'd experienced as the symbiote tried to take possession of her, but was aghast at the feelings of anger, betrayal, and rejection.

"Sam," he said firmly, but gruffly, "I would never—."

"But you did," she accused, furious tears scalding her cheeks. "I saw the look on your face, you—."

"Sam, your eyes glowed," he tried to remain calm. "It shocked me, that's all. Didn't you see?"

"No," she forced out. "I couldn't feel or see what you saw while I was fighting the symbiote," her voice broke. "Once I opened that door, you abandoned me. I tried to reach you, but you weren't there."

"I never left you," Jack growled and pulled her fully against him, willing her to feel the truth of his words. She fought against his hold briefly before collapsing against him. He replayed the events on the ship in his mind for her, let her piece together what the symbiote had apparently stolen before it died. Even then, she still fought him.

Jack felt Sam withdrawing from his mind. Knowing he was going to lose her, he did the only thing he could think of. He trusted their bond and threw open the floodgates, willingly giving her access to everything he'd ever held back: his time as a POW, Charlie's death, the thoughts of ending his own life—she got it all. While he'd managed to shield her from the darkest parts of his mind, even during the torture, he refused to now. If this is what it took, so be it.

—POV—

Sam stopped breathing as she ws bombarded with images of Jack during the darkest times of his life. Her own anger at him vanished as she tried to comprehend how he had endured so many horrors. The truth was there, and it was painful. He hadn't survived; not completely. Each atrocity he'd faced had killed a piece of him. But somehow, against all odds, he'd survived. There were times he didn't know why he was fighting to live, but deep down, he refused to give up; knew something was waiting for him. And then one day he met a blonde genius who could stand toe-to-toe with him. One day he'd finally learned what, or rather who, he was fighting for. Her. She had given him purpose. She was his reason to keep fighting. Wild horses possessed by the Goa'uld couldn't drag him away.

"You didn't leave me," she said with conviction.

"I'll never leave," Jack hugged her tight on top of him. He was ashamed, she realized. He'd never wanted to expose her to the darkness inside of him, afraid that it would snuff out some of her own light. Knowing he would rebuff any type of compassion, she instead filled him with acceptance.

"I think you absorbed all the pain so I could fight the bastard," Sam finally spoke after several minutes. "I'm starting to remember now. There was no pain for me after I opened the door, you took it all into you."

Jack spoke against her temple. "It took every ounce of willpower for me to stay conscious, I didn't even realize what I was doing at first. It's like my subconscious just did what it had to do to protect you."

 _I can't believe I let the symbiote cloud my mind like that_ , Sam thought. _How could I ever think you'd abandon me?_

"Hey," Jack gave her a gentle squeeze, "no more of that. I'd say you were definitely under the influence of alien—er influence." Jack cleared his throat.

"Yes, Sir," Sam laughed, allowing herself to snuggle into his warm embrace, finally taking comfort in him instead of seeking escape.

"Sam," Jack gently stroked her back. "Not to kill the mood or anything, but we still need out of this coffin."

"Right," Sam returned to trying to access the wires in the walls of the pod. "Did I really just knock everyone unconscious like that?" She asked as she worked. "I remember punching Ba'al and then I thought my head was going to explode. I don't remember that wave of energy or anything else until waking up here with you."

"I have no clue what that was," Jack admitted, "but I think I know a shimmering son of a bitch who will."

-POV—

Light flooded the pod as Sam finally crossed the correct wires to blow the hatch open.

"Thank god," Jack groused as Sam carefully shifted her legs so she could sit up.

"Should I be insulted?" She raised an eyebrow at his groan when she removed her weight and held out her hand.

He took her offered hand and pulled himself up. "You'd moan too if you'd been underneath me for two hours." Sam couldn't stop the scene his words conjured in her mind. "Not what I meant," he coughed sharply.

Sam smirked at him as his ears turned red.

"For the record, Major," Jack winked at her, "you'll never hear me complain about you being on top."

"Sir!" Sam feigned outrage, but couldn't hold back a giggle from escaping. Apparently, being bonded with someone didn't mean you got to skip talking about your feelings. Unfortunately for Jack, he'd sucked at the whole feelings thing. It didn't help that Sam seemed to prefer to bury her feelings and soldier on, too.

Looking around, he took in the planet where they had crash-landed. The pod was embedded into a sand dune that sat no more than a hundred hards from what appeared to be an ocean; the water bluer than anything he'd ever seen on earth. Around them were something akin to palm trees swaying from a gentle breeze.

"Guess there are worse places to crash than a tropical beach," Sam quipped, taking stock of the supplies in the pod. "Looks like we've got one days worth of food and water in here."

"Any chance someone threw in a change of clothes?" Jack asked, even though he knew it was a long shot. Too bad the sarcophagus didn't mend clothing while it mended bodies.

"Sorry," Sam shook her head. Pulling out the Jaffa version of a canteen, she took a long drink and threw it to him. "We need to get as far away from here as possible in case Ba'al sends patrols looking for us."

"Agreed," Jack grabbed what he could carry and followed her into the tree line. "You think there's a stargate on this planet?"

He watched her mind consider all the possibilities. "Maybe," she admitted, "but the odds of us stumbling upon it are pretty slim. We're talking maybe one in a million."

"Right, so there's a chance," Jack prodded her, but she didn't respond. "Carter," he waited for her to glance back over her shoulder. "You're forgetting one thing."

"What's that," her voice was firm and slightly exasperated at his need to give her a peptalk.

"You're here," he grinned. "The odds just went up exponentially."

—POV—

Judging by the sun, they'd been walking for the past three hours; assuming the planet they were on was on a similar orbit as Earth to its sun.

 _I'd guess three hours, too,_ Jack confirmed without speaking. After the first mile of hiking, they had easily slipped back into communication without words. Sam hadn't realized how much she missed the intimacy that came with having another person in her head until she'd almost lost it.

 _Hold_ , Jack's order snapped her attention. _Did you hear that?_

 _No,_ she started to say, but faintly in the distance—

"Sam! Jack!" Daniel's voice called.

With a smile at Jack, they both took off toward the sound. They briefly shared a moment of hesitation; it could be a trap, but at Teal'c baritone "O'Neill! Samantha Carter!" They picked up the pace.

"Daniel!" Sam called as she caught sight of his light brown BDUs.

"Teal'c!" Jack called and was greeted with the sight of their two friends and SG-12 jogging toward them.

"It is good to see you O'Neill," Teal'c embraced him before turning to Sam and pulling her into a tight hug. "You, too, Major Carter."

"We thought we'd lost you," Daniel said emotionally as he hugged them, too.

Running their eyes up and down her and Jack's bodies, Sam watched as they took in the torn clothing and looked for any signs of damage.

"How did you find us?" Jack asked with a nod of greeting toward the leader of SG-12.

"We, ahh, had some help," Daniel said cryptically as he took his glasses off to clean the lenses. Recognizing it as one of the archeologist's many tells when he was hiding something, Jack made a mental note to press him on it later. For now he just wanted to get home.

"How did you guys escape from Ba'al?" Daniel quickly changed the subject.

"It's a long story," Jack hedged. "Let's get out of here; I fill you in on the way."

Sam turned and gestured for Teal'c and Daniel to lead the way. _You think?_ She asked Jack as they followed their friends. SG-12 took up position behind them.

 _I do,_ Jack confirmed. They walked side-by-side, their arms touching.

 _Why would T'Mar tell them where to find us?_ It made little sense to Sam. Why put them through all of this if he was just going to tell the SGC where they were?

 _Something happened on that ship, Sam_ , Jack said seriously. Placing a hand on the small of her back, he ushered her in front of him and over a fallen log. _I don't know what happened to you, but I want the doc to check you out as soon as we get back. That wave of energy came from somewhere."_

Before she could respond a loud half-cough, half-laugh came from behind them. Pulling up short, they looked back at Major Evans and his team.

"Care to share?" Jack asked sardonically.

Apparently realizing he had crossed a line, Major Evans had the good sense to look contrite. "You and Major Carter—," he cleared his throat. "Sorry, sir. It's just that General Hammond told us what happened to you and Major Carter. Told us you might be—different." Sam bit her own smile back as Evans squirmed under Jack's "colonel" face.

"And?" Jack asked unamused. _I don't have a colonel face_ , he shot to Sam, which only made her want to smile more.

"You and she, um—" Evans was turning bright red. "I didn't believe it, sir."

"Didn't believe what, Major?"

"That you two were married or bonded, but now—Sir!" He added before standing at attention and offering Jack a salute; effectively dropping the line of questioning.

Rolling his eyes, Jack half-saluted back and started to turn.

"Are you, sir?" Evans' second-in-command, Captain Smith asked. The bright woman had clearly picked up on Sam's attempt to keep from smiling, judging the question to not be as dangerous as Evans thought.

"Are we what, Captain," Jack stressed the last word, but it didn't dissuade the woman.

 _Your colonel face isn't working on her,_ Sam teased him, earning her her own quick colonel face. _Doesn't work on me right now, either._ _Sir,_ she added when he glared at her."Married, sir," Smith was openly smiling at them both. "Or connected mentally, as General Hammond put it."

"I do not have colonel face!" Jack snapped at Sam. This time, she was unable to stop the giggle from from escaping. At Daniel and Teal'c's bark of laughter, Jack's head whipped back to SG-12 and Captain Smith. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" Jack stated flatly.

"You did, colonel," Captain Smith beamed at him. "I withdraw my question, sir," she smiled at Sam. "Ma'am."

"Oh for cryin' out loud."

\- - - To be continued- - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter wasn't supposed to be so angsty, but Sam and Jack had something they needed to work through. Jack wasn't even aware he was holding back as much as he was from Sam. T'Mar is going to be back real soon, and oh boy is Jack pissed at him. We are coming up toward the end of the second arc of the story and into the third, possibly final, arc.


	37. Chapter 37

In hindsight, it may not have been the best idea to hold Sam's hand as they had walked through the Stargate and saw several members of the SGC give them speculative looks, but it had become a habit for him to touch her whenever possible.

"Welcome home, SG-1," General Hammond said as Jack watched him take in the state of their clothes and their joined hands.

 _He doesn't know whether to be relieved, concerned, or amused_ , Jack told Sam as he watched the base commander decide on how to proceed. Glancing at Sam, he noticed she wasn't taking all of this in stride—she wasn't comfortable being the center of attention.

"It's good to be home, sir," Jack replied trying to take the focus off of them and onto himself. When Hammond pointedly looked at their joined hands and raised his eyebrows, Jack merely shrugged.

"Thank you for sending the calvary," Sam said, taking Hammond's hint and dropping his hand. "How did you know where we were?"

Tearing his eyes away from Jack, Hammond gave her a smile. "Let's discuss that at the debrief." After her quick nod, he added, "both of you report to the infirmary."

Before anyone could utter a yes and a sir, the door to the gate room opened as Senator Kinsey strode in, followed by four SGC MPs.

"Arrest them," Kinsey ordered pointing toward Jack and Sam.

"Now wait a darn minute," Jack tried to shove Sam behind him and away from the weasel, but she just shoved him back.

"What is the meaning of this!" Hammond barked at the senator.

"I have a warrant for both their arrests," Kinsey sneered. "They've evaded justice long enough."

"I'm the commander of this base," Hammond stood at his full height, as the SGC MPs took a step away from the senator.

"For now!" Kinsey taunted. "When I'm through with you, all of you will be behind bars. Arrest them!"

When the SGC MPs made no move, Kinsey let out a disgusted scoff. "The only reason you haven't been thrown out on your ass is because you keep this place under lock and key. If my personal guard was allowed on this base, you'd all be under arrest!"

"Oh put a sock in it Kinsey," Jack rolled his eyes at the Senator's temper tantrum. "Carter and I have done nothing wrong and you know it."

"You take me for a fool?" Kinsey marched up the Stargate platform and punched his finger into Jack's chest. "I know you've been ignoring the rules for years! You think you're so special just because you've saved the world a couple of times for threats you created," Kinsey's tirade escalated as Jack felt his own temper begin to rise. "You've got everyone buffaloed, but I know better! I'm going to expose you, both of you," his gaze flicked to Sam. "Don't think I don't know that you've been spreading your legs for him for years! You—"

Kinsey was so focused on spewing his venom that he never saw Jack's right hook coming. As Kinsey fell backward onto his ass, the MPs rushed forward thinking Jack would try to finish the job.

"Watch your damn mouth!" Jack roared, his temper boiling.

"I want him arrested for assault!" Kinsey sputtered from his undignified position on the floor as the MPs hoisted him to his feet.

"You better be damn glad Colonel O'Neill has more tolerance than I do," Hammond growled at him. "Had you said something like that about my wife, I'd have done a lot more than knock you on your ass!"

Kinsey looked from Hammond to Jack to Sam, "you're married!?" He asked incredulously.

"Get him out of here, now," Hammond barked, "and pray Major Carter doesn't file sexual harassment charges."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said. He'd known General Hammond was on their side, but he'd never expected such a display on their behalf.

"No one insults my officers," Hammond told him. "But I fear I might have let the cat out of the bag about you two," he looked around at the stunned faces of SGC personnel. "Up until now, I've kept what happened to you on a need to know basis."

"It's alright, sir," Sam answered for them both. "Trust me when I say Ja—, Colonel O'Neill and I wouldn't be able to keep this a secret for long anyway."

"She's right, sir," Jack tried to look apologetic, "the bonded thingy is only getting stronger. Evans and Smith knew right away that something was different. I think Smith would have figured it out even if you hadn't warned SG-12 to expect our odd behavior."

"Let's get ahead of the rumor mill, sir," Sam recommended.

"I agree, sir," Jack added, "but first, Doc Fraiser needs to check Sam out."

"Very well," Hammond looked concerned, but held off asking questions. He called over his shoulder, "Walter, schedule an all hands meeting for 0800 tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir," came the Master Staff Sargent's reply over the intercom. "And congratulations," he quickly added before following orders.

"I'll expect you both in my office for a debrief as soon as you're done in the infirmary."

—POV—

Much to Jack's relief, Dr. Fraiser couldn't find anything physically wrong with Sam that would explain the burst of energy Jack had witnessed on Ba'al's ship. She did, however, find out that the bond between them had morphed into something science could no longer explain.

As they had sat on their hospital beds, hooked up to their respective monitors, their hearts had beat in perfect sync. Janet was also a bit shocked to discover their blood pressures and body temperatures were also an exact match. While Jack's blood pressure had always ran a little high, it had somehow lowered to match Sam's relatively normal 110/70. Conversely, Sam's body temperature was always a steady 98.6 degrees, but now it matched Jack's 97.5.

When Janet had given them the strange results, they merely looked at one another for a freakishly long time before shrugging in unison. General Hammond, who was in the room checking on his officers, only looked mildly amused and walked away. With nothing to deem either of them unfit, Janet signed off on their medical releases with orders for them both to take an extended vacation.

The debrief in Hammond's office had also been relatively simple. They explained what had happened on the planet the General had "accidentally" sent them to and the subsequent capture and torture by Ba'al. They both left out what took place in the escape pod since it didn't directly affect the SGC; some things were too private to discuss with others.

The General agreed with Dr. Fraiser's overall assessment and ordered them both to take one-month's worth of shore leave. Before they left, however, there were two matters that had to be dealt with. The first was the rumor mill. Dressed in their formal blues, Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter stood in front of the entire SGC as they listened to General Hammond explain what had transpired against them. Of course, the General left out certain key events that were incredibly private or inappropriate for anyone outside of SG-1 to know.

When Hammond had finished the explanations, he'd announced the Sec Def and President's approvals, as well as his own, making it absolutely clear that neither of the officers were breaking any rules. Sam hadn't known what to expect, but a long round of applause followed by good-natured shouts of congratulations was not it. Jack had taken it all in stride with his unique sense of humor. In a move Sam now knew he'd made once before, he took off his hat, handed it to General Hammond, and swept Sam backward for a swoon-worthy kiss. The entire base had cheered wildly. While George Hammond had been amused at the Colonel's antics, General Hammond made sure Jack knew that would be the only time such a display would ever be tolerated.

The final issue they had to address was the court martials Sam and Jack were facing. Unfortunately, Kinsey wasn't backing down, especially after Jack had embarrassed him.

During the debrief, Daniel happily laid out his plan that should make Jack and Sam immune from Kinsey's dubious charges. He explained the President had willingly signed the charter that made Earth a part of the United Planets Coalition that he'd negotiated between the Asgard, Tok'ra, Jaffa, Tollen, and Earth. Using the provision of the UPC that granted both Sam and Jack diplomatic immunity, along with their officially recognized marriage certificate, the JAG lawyers assigned to defend SGC personnel had been able to successfully argue for summary judgement. This meant that a formal court martial proceeding would only take place if a judge with proper security clearance agreed there was enough material evidence to indict either Colonel O'Neill or Major Carter.

Less than 36 hours after returning to the SGC, both Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter sat in the main conference room under the mountain and faced the woman who would decide their fates. Their JAG representatives sat behind them.

The Honorable Judge Barbara Snider was a three-star General, an experienced civilian lawyer, and had been serving as a military judge for the last ten years. She was known for being shrewd and opinionated, but fair.

 _She's been reading for the last 30 minutes,_ Jack grumbled; wanting to get this over with. Jacob was on standby, ready to help them escape if Kinsey succeeded. Everyone knew Jack and Sam would be sitting ducks if Kinsey got them thrown in jail.

 _She's being thorough, that's a good thing_ , Sam gently chided, but Jack knew she was nervous, too.

"Are you two able to communicate telepathically any time you want?" A stern voice asked.

"Yes, your honor," they both replied in unison. Judge Snider's lips twitched, but her expression remained guarded.

"Then I won't be able to separate you for questioning," she said gathering up the papers in front of her. "No matter, you're either guilty or you're not. Although, I would love one of those truth orbs you wrote about in your report."

"I'll see if I can acquire one next time we're on Creetia," Jack regretted his remark at her sharp look. "Ma'am."

"Major Carter," Snider directed, "please ask General Hammond and Senator Kinsey to join us."

Sam did as ordered, then retook her seat next to Jack, as Hammond and Kinsey sat down on opposite sides of the table.

"Alright," Snider addressed everyone in the room. "I'm going to ask questions and none of you will speak unless spoken to by me. Those are the rules."

"Yes, your honor," the three officers complied while the Senator merely nodded.

"Major Carter," she pinned Sam with a hard stare. "Were you sexually assaulted by Colonel O'Neill, your commanding officer, while on the planet known by designation SJX-554?"

"No," Sam answered immediately.

"Has Colonel O'Neill ever assaulted you, sexually or otherwise, at any point, in your military career?"

"No, ma'am," Sam kept her gaze sharply away from Kinsey. "In fact, Colonel O'Neill was the one who stopped a man who was assaulting me on SJX-554."

"Duly noted," Snider said writing something on the paper in front of her. "Major Carter, has your commanding officer ever ordered you to have sex with him?"

"Absolutely not," Sam couldn't keep the disgust out of her voice at what the question implied.

"Has Colonel O'Neill ever ordered you to marry or 'bond' with him?"

"My client claims spousal privilege, your honor," Sam's lawyer interjected. Kinsey's face broke into a sinister smile.

 _Jack_ , Sam left the question unspoken as he nodded. They weren't going to get out of this by hiding behind legalities.

"No I don't," Sam interjected. Kinsey's let out a triumphant chuckle and sat back in his chair. Judge Snider sent him the side-eye, but said nothing as she motioned for Sam to continue.

"With all due respect, your honor," Sam said, "Colonel O'Neill and I were put into an impossible position. We were faced with breaking regulations or dying, and quite frankly ma'am, when you are thousands of light years away from Earth, with no way home, you are more concerned with surviving than following some arbitrary rules."

"She admits it!" Kinsey jumped to his feet. "You just signed your own downfall!"

"Sit down!" Snider ordered the Senator.

"I'm not finished," Sam glared at Kinsey and dropped the calm facade. Resting her hand on Jack's shoulder, she turned back to the judge. "Colonel O'Neill and I have worked side-by-side for almost seven years. During that time, we have never broke the no fraternizing regs, not once, until we were faced with bonding or dying. This man," she looked into Jack's eyes, "could have followed the rules and let me be killed or much worse. Instead, he did the honorable thing and put my well being ahead of his own." Sam looked back to the judge. "Jack has put his life on the line countless times for the world, for the people who serve under him, and for total strangers. This time he put his life and career on the line to make sure I had a shot at getting home."

"You didn't answer the question," Kinsey taunted her.

"Senator," Snider stood up and glared him back into his seat, "I will have you removed if you interrupt this proceeding again. Now—"

"I ordered her to bond with me," Jack suddenly said, drawing everyone's attention. "I crossed a line—honorable intentions or not."

"I had already decided to bond with you," Sam growled at him.

"According to both of your reports, a bond was going to form regardless of what you wanted, Major Carter," Snider said. "Is that an accurate statement?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sam confirmed. "Once the slave cuff was attached to my arm, the groundwork for a bond was already being laid. When Colonel O'Neill attached the other cuff to his wrist, we were unaware that he was linking us together permanently."

"There was no way I was going to let anyone else bond with her," Jack added. "It was the only way I could protect her."

"Your Honor," Sam tried, but Judge Snider held up her hand.

"I've heard enough," her expression was unreadable. "It's obvious that both of you ignored the fraternization regulations governing conduct of Air Force officers," Dam and Jack sat up straighter at her words. "However, the President has taken that decision out of my hands by recognizing your off-world marriage. Furthermore, the diplomatic immunity afforded you by the UPC prevents any further fraternization charges from being brought against you. I do strongly recommend that you both maintain professional conduct while fulfilling your official duties," she gave them a knowing smirk before turning to Kinsey. "Charge one, fraternization is being dismissed with prejudice."

"Now," Snider continued, "I do find that Colonel O'Neill used his position of superiority to try and persuade a subordinate to engage in a personal relationship; however," she pinned Sam with a stare as she started to protest, "the key witness, Major Samantha Carter, has indicated that she is unwilling to testify against him. She has the legal protection of spousal privilege; therefore, cannot be compelled to testify against her will. I find that there is not enough evidence, outside of this testimony, to proceed with a court martial. Colonel," Snider addressed him, "I believe you'll want to have your unsolicited confession stricken from the record?"

"Yes, your Honor," Jack grinned at her.

"You can't do that!" Kinsey directed at the judge.

"General," Snider nodded her head toward Kinsey. Hammond quietly asked two SGC personnel to escort the Senator from the room.

"Senator, in my courtroom, I am god. Get him out of here," Snider said.

Sam and Jack shared a mental cheer as Kinsey was ushered out of the room.

"There is one more matter of business," Judge Snider said, turning toward Jack. "I'm assuming you don't want to press charges against your wife for, and I'm quoting the Senator's words, 'seducing you'?"

"Absolutely not, your Honor," Jack said with a straight face.

"I thought not," she grinned at him while Sam shook her head.

"Well this was fun," Snider said standing, "George, always a pleasure."

"Thank you Barbara," General Hammond shook her hand.

"Off the record," Snider turned toward Jack and Sam, "I want to thank you both for saving the planet multiple times. When George first read me into the Stargate program, I was shell shocked at what you willingly do. But I want you to know that I wouldn't let you walk away free if I actually believed you had willingly broken the law. I live by a code of integrity and honor. You made my job today easy, but be careful. Senator Kinsey doesn't strike me as the type to accept defeat easily."

"Thank you ma'am," they both said in perfect unison causing the Judge threw her head back in laughter.

"George, I don't envy you dealing with those two!"

—POV—

General Hammond hugged his former foster sister before watching the elevator doors close. It had been more than forty years since they'd physically been in the same room, but he had kept tabs on her over the years.

Barbara and her parents had lived next door to him when he was a young boy. A freak accident left her orphaned and his parents signed up to be foster parents to Barbara while her only living Aunt was located. Luckily, the aunt has been in the military and Hammond's own father had been able to ensure Barbara was secure while the aunt finished her tour overseas so she could retire with full benefits and provide for her niece.

It was pure luck on George's part that Barbara had worked her way up the military judicial system and was in the perfect position to serve as the judge today. While he did not try to influence her decision, he knew she would give his officers a fair hearing; something none of the judges in Kinsey's pocket would do.

Forty years ago the foster system was a lot messier and paperwork easily misplaced, so when George realized there was no paper trail to link his family to Barbara's, he knew he had to take the risk and request her by name. The risk had just paid off.

As he rounded the corner toward his office, he saw Sam and Jack standing shoulder-to-shoulder, examining some type of artifact.

"Get out of here, both of you!" George boomed at his two favorite officers. "I don't want to see either of you for a month."

"Yes sir," they said in unison, causing him to shake his head. Things around here were never going to be the same.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit content.

Sam took a deep breath of Minnesota air as she opened the door of Jack's truck. After leaving the SGC, they'd swung by both their places to grab a bag and some clothes before hitting the highway.

They had one night to themselves before Daniel and Teal'c were to arrive for the weekend to wrap up a few loose ends. After that, Jack and Sam would have the next three weeks completely alone in the Minnesota woods.

During the long drive she'd found her mind wandering, thinking about the last few weeks and how lucky they were to be here, safe, alive, and together. Breathing in the crisp night sir, she felt more alive than she'd thought possible.

"You ready to go inside," Jack asked coming up next to her after retrieving their bags from the bed of the truck.

The last time they'd spent the night alone together, it was with a whole host of legal problems and questions about the future hanging over their heads. Tonight it was just them, no pressing matters, no needing to risk their lives, no having to save the world. Sam gave herself a little shake as she tried to push the flutters of anticipation out of her stomach.

"Absolutely," she grinned at him as Jack led the way and unlocked the door. Setting the bags inside the door he turned and swept Sam up into his arms.

"Jack, your knees," she protested, knowing he was stiff from driving all day. Stepping over the threshold, he let her slide down his body.

"This place is special to me," his eyes were bright with happiness, "and I do have some old fashioned tendencies."

Pulling his head down, she captured his lips, letting her mind fill his with the love. She reached behind him to push the door closed, then playfully shoved him until his back hit the wood. Wasting no time, she jerked his shirt out of his pants and ripped it open, sending buttons flying. With his chest bare to her, she tore her shirt over her head and threw herself back into his arms. The feel of his chest pressed intimately against her breasts made them both moan, as he reclaimed her lips. When he finally pulled back after several more minutes, they were both panting for air.

"Damn, Carter," Jack huffed, "we keep this up and you might kill me. But it'd be worth it," he added before pushing himself away from the door and pulled her into the living room. When he bypassed the couch and didn't turn down the hall, she gave him a strange look. "Trust me," he winked at her.

Quickly kneeling by the fireplace, he took a match from a box and lit the log in the hearth. He quickly walked to what Sam knew from his thoughts was the spare bedroom and came out with a thick quilt. Spreading it in front of the warming fire, he turned and grinned. "I remember one of your fantasies has always been making love in front of a roaring fire," he reached for the button at the front of her jeans. "I want this to be your memory of our first night together in the cabin."

Sam's eyes filled with tears at his thoughtfulness. "You're a romantic," she said as he pushed her jeans down. "How have we worked together all these years and I've not known?"

"I've been saving it all for you," he whispered, gently pulling her with him onto the quilt. He covered her with his body, raining kisses across her cheeks. Sam shivered as he nipped the sensitive spot on her neck. "I love our connection," he murmured as he kissed each breast. Sam buried her hands in his hair and tried to pay attention, but the sensations he was causing were too delicious. "I love knowing," he did something wonderful with his tongue that made her arch her back.

"Knowing what," she tried to focus, but her mind was preoccupied as his hand slipped into her panties and parted her. His fingers worked magic on her body.

"Knowing exactly what to do, to make you do this," his fingers pressed against just the right spot and her world exploded.

After several long moments, she slowly regained the ability to think and found him watching her. She felt how much he enjoyed watching her come apart for him; the alpha male satisfaction at knowing he'd been the one to cause it. Seeing herself like that through his eyes made her feel more beautiful than words ever could.

—POV—

As Jack watched Sam see herself through his eyes, he smiled. All these years he assumed she knew she was beautiful. It surprised him that she had always seen herself as too tall and too muscular. She'd kept her hair short for obvious reasons, never suspecting that it drove him wild.

"You know our bond works both ways," she said, slipping to the side and pushing him onto his back. Jack grinned at her, remembering the shower they'd shared a lifetime ago, but it had really only been a few weeks.

"I'm counting on it," he waggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.

Sam wasted no time in bringing him to the brink of ecstasy. Knowing his body wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, he lifted her off of him. Her look of disappointment curled his toes and, while he'd love to explore what more her talented mouth could do, right now he desperately needed to be inside of her.

Straddling his hips, Sam guided herself onto him, slowly sliding downward until their hips were flush. The light from the fire flickered across her skin, casting a golden glow that made her look like a goddess as she began to rotate her hips. It wasn't long at all before he felt the stirrings of her approaching release. Grabbing her hips to hold her steady and began thrusting upward. As she threw her head back in abandon, he watched as came again, watched as she drew out her own pleasure. Unable to hold out any longer, he joined her, allowing their bond to intensify what each felt.

Energy spent, Sam collapsed against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he rotated her until she was cuddled into his side. The warmth of the now blazing fire spread across their skin, warming their sweat-slicked bodies. Sam's breath tickled the hair on his chest as she nuzzled further into his arms.

"Sleep," Jack murmured, his lips against her temple.

"Mmm-kay," she purred, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Once her breathing was deep and even, Jack closed his eyes and let contentment wash over him as he fell into a restful sleep.

—POV—

The sun was high in the sky when Daniel climbed out of Teal'c's Mini Cooper. They'd decided to leave before dawn to avoid traffic, and had driven straight through, making excellent time. Checking his watch, Daniel glanced at the cabin.

"It might be a little early," Daniel hesitated as he saw no movement or lights in the house. "Do you think they're still…you know?"

Teal'c arched an eyebrow at Daniel's question. "I believe they are expecting us," he said.

"You're right," Daniel agreed, "we'll just knock on the door," he said grabbing his duffel from the car and climbing the steps to the porch.

...To be continued soon


	39. Chapter 39

"Hi guys!" Sam smiled opening the door wide for Daniel and Teal'c to enter. Glancing around Daniel looked for any signs that they'd arrived too early, but everything looked normal. There was a faint smell of wood smoke in the air; however, that wouldn't be abnormal considering the cold Minnesota nights.

"You look well," Teal'c said comfortably, giving Sam his traditional head bow before crossing the threshold.

"Go ahead and throw your stuff in the spare bedroom," Sam said closing the door behind them. "No need for either of you to sleep on the floor anymore."

And there it was, Daniel thought as her cheeks grew a faint rosy color at the implication of her statement. If he hadn't been looking for it, he'd of missed it. "No, I guess not," Daniel started down the hallway. He dared a look at the main bedroom across the hall. The bed was made using Jack's typical dark brown comforter, but a single pillow in light blue pillowcase with embroidered flowers lay on the right side of the bed. From their off-world missions, Daniel knew Sam preferred the right side of the tent whenever they had to double-up. He also knew Jack didn't have anything remotely feminine in the cabin, so it wasn't a stretch to assume it was Sam's.

As Daniel turned to go into the spare room he caught Sam's eyes watching him. This time, it was his turn to turn a deep shade of pink at being caught snooping. With a speculative look, Sam just smiled and gave him a dainty shrug.

"Daniel Jackson was afraid we arrived too early and would interrupt you and O'Neill," Teal'c said with a twinkle in his eye, having watched the exchange between Daniel and Sam.

"I just meant—" Daniel started glaring at Teal'c.

Sam laughed.

"What's so funny?" Jack said coming out of the bathroom as he finished towel drying his hair.

Daniel opened his mouth to say something, then quickly snapped it shut, causing Sam to laugh even harder.

"Daniel Jackson was afraid we would interrupt Major Carter and you engaging in intimate physical activity," Teal'c said with a completely straight face, but his eyes twinkled with mischief.

Jack paused in the middle of drying his hair to look from Teal'c to Daniel. He turned to look at Sam, who was trying vehemently not to laugh at Daniel's pained expression.

"Do I need to defend your honor, or can I just ignore them?" Jack asked Sam without cracking a smile.

"Have you ever known me to need someone to defend my honor?" Sam raised her eyebrow in a very Teal'c-like manner.

"Point taken," Jack turned and threw his towel at Daniel's head, shook his head at Teal'c, and made his way to the refrigerator. "Beer?"

"In my defense, I didn't want a repeat of what happened on Creetia," Daniel felt the need to explain his awkwardness since he seemed to be the only one feeling any.

"Ack!" Jack pointed his beer bottle at him. "We shall not speak of that again; it embarrasses Carter."

"Liar!" Sam chastised walking up to Jack and taking his beer for herself. Nodding his head in an exaggerated way, Jack pointed his finger at her from behind. "You know I can see what you do." Sam gave him an exasperated look over her shoulder, but Daniel could tell it was all an act. The love he saw in their eyes was staggering.

Everything had happened so fast between Jack and Sam. When he and Teal'c had left them due to his injury, he'd been trying to convince them to get married in name only to survive; something they'd been completely against. The next time he saw them, they'd been wrapped together in bed. At first, he had thought that they'd finally caved to the sexual tension that had been a part of their relationship from the beginning. It became obvious, however, that something more was going on. He'd been so wrapped up in finding a way to save them both off-world and on, that he hadn't taken the time to make sure they were truly alright until now. It made Daniel's heart happy to see two of the people he loved the most find such happiness.

"I'm happy for you both," Daniel's voice was heavy with emotion. Both Jack and Sam stopped their playful bantering to look at him, understanding dawning in Sam's, then Jack's eyes.

Sam stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck for a tight hug. Lifting his head to look at Jack over her shoulder, he saw his best friend's eyes grow misty as he watched them. For the first time since Daniel had met him, Jack looked like he was at peace.

"Ok enough of that," Jack interrupted the moment, his normal walls going back up. "In case you forgot, I have to experience whatever she does. Let me tell you," he sighed dramatically, "women have waaay too many emotions."

No one was surprised when Sam sent a dishrag flying at Jack's head.

—POV—

Sam bid goodnight to Daniel and Teal'c as she closed the door to Jack's room.

When are you going to start calling it our room? It is you know, Jack thought from the bed. Turning to look at him, Sam smiled. "Old habits," she shrugged, changed into her nightgown, and climbed under the covers beside him.

Daniel and Teal'c had been at the cabin for two days and would be leaving in the morning. While she loved having Jack all to herself, she was going to miss them. After the momentary awkwardness went away, they had all settled back into their established relationships. Daniel and Teal'c had always been like a brothers to her, and she was happy to have them to talk too again.

Sam also had to admit she was impressed with Daniel's United Planets Coalition idea. He had done the impossible and brought five races together. Jack had joked that he should have called it the United Federation of Planets; to which Daniel had rolled his eyes and ignored him. Teal'c of course thought that was a fantastic name and Sam had to explain the Star Trek mythology to him; which ended with Daniel and Jack arguing over whether the Original series or The Next Generation was the better show.

"TNG hands down," Jack yawned beside her. "Troi was hot. Not as hot as you," he added quickly. "C'mere," he pulled her back against his chest.

Sam loved the feel of him enveloping her. She had never been a snuggler, preferring to have her own space when she slept. With Jack, however, she couldn't get close enough.

"Sam?" Jack raised his head.

"What?" She looked over her shoulder at him, confused.

"I thought you said something?" He said concerned.

"Not out loud."

"Hmmm," he snuggled back into her, "I must have been falling asleep."

Sam was about to make a smart-ass comment when a sudden pain struck. With a groan, she grabbed her stomach and curled into a fetal position.

"Sam!" Jack's voice was pained, as he knelt over her on the bed. "Carter! Answer me!"

She wanted to answer, but the pain stole her voice. It hurts!

I can feel it. Even his thoughts sounded pained. Any idea what's going on?

Before she could answer, she felt Jack spring off the bed and away from her. He threw the door open, "Daniel! Teal'c!"

Sam didn't understand what was happening. The entire room was too bright, too disorienting. Suddenly, she started shivering; it was so cold she was positive she'd been teleported to Antartica. Where was Jack? She could feel his mind, but was he okay? As if by magic, Jack's warm body wrapped back around her and a heavy blanket was thrown over them.

"What is it?" She heard Daniel ask.

"I don't know, but I've seen it once before," Jack said tensely. She felt his mind nudge hers, but it took too much effort to respond.

"So have we," Teal'c's voice was also concerned.

W-what? "W-what?" he mind and lips managed to force out.

"Sam," Jack hugged her tightly, "you're shimmering."

—POV—

It was the longest two hours of Jack's life as they transported Sam from his cabin in Minnesota to the infirmary within the SGC. Daniel had immediately called General Hammond, who in turn scrambled two Blackhawks to pick them up and transport the four of them to the base. Jack had wanted to have Prometheus beam them directly there, but Sam stopped him. Since they didn't know what was happening to her, she couldn't even guess what effect the beaming technology have.

After the initial wave, Sam's pain had significantly lessoned, allowing Jack to think more clearly. Unfortunately, the bone-chilling cold lingered. Jack had stayed under the covers, pressed against his wife until the last possible moment. He knew the cold he experienced was just a fraction of what she felt, and he was so damn cold he kept checking his fingers for frostbite.

Once on the helicopter, Jack let the emergency medical team load her onto a gurney before climbing under the emergency blankets with her. If anyone was shocked by the colonel's actions, they didn't show it. Upon landing, the gurney, loaded with Jack and Sam, was quickly rolled toward the infirmary.

"Colonel, talk to me," Dr. Fraiser ordered as she met them at the elevator.

"I don't know what happened," Jack's teeth chattered. "One minute she was fine and the next she was in pain, freezing, and her skin…" He trailed off, not sure how to explain it to her. Instead, he pushed the emergency heat blanket away from Sam and let her luminous skin shimmer for all to see.

"J-Janet," Sam chattered, drawing everyone's attention.

"Hey honey," Dr. Fraiser said softly, working around Jack to take Sam's vitals. "Any idea what's going on with you?"

"T-T-," Sam couldn't get the words out.

"T-Mar," Jack said. "Talk to her, she'll talk through me," he ordered.

"Okay," Janet nodded. "What's T-Mar?"

"Not a what, but a who," Jack said. "He's some sort of alien being that we met our last time through the gate. Sam says to tell you his skin shimmered like her's is doing now, but it doesn't appear to be bioluminescence."

"So, you don't think it's related to the change in your DNA?" Janet turned and grabbed a syringe.

"No," Jack shook his head. "She says dimensional shift phenomenon."

"That's a little out of my wheelhouse," Janet carefully took a blood sample from Sam before grabbing another syringe for a sample from Jack.

"It won't be for long," a deep voice said, causing everyone in the room to look all around them. In a brilliant shimmer of light, T'Mar appeared next to Daniel and Teal'c.

"Who the hell are you?" Janet growled at the intruder to her infirmary.

"He is T'Mar," Teal'c answered.

Several armed SGC personnel ran into the room, followed by General Hammond. Upon seeing T'Mar, one of them fired a zat. The energy struck him in the center of his chest before dissipating into nothing. In response, T'Mar arched an eyebrow at the serviceman.

"Hold your fire!" Hammond ordered, taking a step toward the alien.

"General Hammond," T'Mar sighed. "I promise you, I have no intention of harming anyone here, especially Colonel O'Neill or Major Carter."

Hammond stared intently at T'Mar when his face suddenly went slack in surprise. Jack watched as the General shook himself out of whatever shock he'd received. "Jack, I believe you can trust this man."

"Forgive my skepticism, General," Jack spat, "but the last time we trusted this son of a bitch, Sam and I ended up as guests at chateau Ba'al."

"I know," T'Mar's face showed his remorse, "and it was the second most difficult thing I've ever done, but please take comfort in knowing that your suffering had to occur."

"That's so comforting," Jack rolled his eyes, but as Sam whimpered, he dropped the macho act. "Just tell me you can help her."

Stepping forward, T'Mar pressed a palm against Sam's forehead and smiled. "I was not completely for sure about this part of the timeline. Lean back," he directed Jack.

Jack allowed a small space between him and Sam, but kept his arms firmly around her. As T'Mar placed his other hand low on Sam's stomach, Jack sent him a hostile look.

"Relax," T'Mar chuckled slightly, "at no time will I ever feel that way about your Samantha." As T'Mar touched Sam, the shimmering slowly faded, as if being absorbed by the hand on her abdomen. With a flutter of her eyelids, Sam's blue gaze met Jack's before moving too T'Mar's. With a warm smile, he removed his hands and stepped away. "Dr. Fraiser," T'Mar addressed her without removing his eyes from the couple on the gurney, "I believe you are going to run some blood tests."

"I am," she confirmed.

"If it's alright with you, I'll hang around until they come back. I'm positive there will be some questions only I can answer," he said. "General, you are going to want to contact the Asgard as soon as possible."

"Mind telling me why?" General Hammond asked, but nodded toward a sergeant to do as T'Mar suggested.

"They're going to be very interested in Dr. Fraiser's results," he grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will be continued soon...


	40. Chapter 40

"I can't find anything wrong with you," Janet's tone was almost disappointed as she stepped into the area of the infirmary that Sam, Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, General Hammond, and T'Mar occupied. "Except for more of the odd DNA peptide changes you had before, you are in perfect health."

Sam raised an eyebrow as she looked at her friend. "Janet, an hour ago I was literally glowing. That's not normal." She didn't respond to the sound of Jack snorting in her mind.

"I know that," the doctor glared at Jack, accurately guessing where Sam's attitude was coming from. "But on paper, your bloodwork is completely normal. I have absolutely no clue why you were glowing or what is happening to you."

"Maybe our friend can answer that question," Jack stressed the word friend as he turned to look at T'Mar. Sam shared Jack's frustration as the newcomer just smiled and shrugged.

"Mr. T'Mar," Janet said curtly, "if you have any information that can help me treat my patient, I expect you to give it to me. Now."

"You'll have your answers," T'Mar paused and pointed to the ceiling, "now."

A bright light filled the room as a transporter beam deposited Thor in front of them.

"Greetings," the Asgard said. "I came as soon as I received General Hammond's communication, how may I be of assistance?"

"Thanks for coming, Thor," Hammond nodded in greeting. "Colonel, why don't you fill him in on what's happening."

"It'll be faster if you allow me," T'Mar said, stepping so the grey alien could see him. Thor's eyes widened slightly, but he showed no outward reaction. Both beings stared at one another in silence as the rest of the room grew restless.

"Excuse me," Jack cleared his throat, "anyone mind telling me what the hell is happening?"

"I apologize, O'Neill," Thor walked over to where Jack held Sam's hand. "Jacob Charles and I were exchanging information telepathically."

"Jacob Charles?" Daniel said softly. "JC—you said—" he stopped talking at T'Mar's wide grin. As Daniel struggled to form a coherent sentence Sam tensed as Thor passed a scanner over her body. She watched him closely, trying to read his expression.

"He's," Daniel tried to speak again. "You're," he pointed at T'Mar, but didn't finish.

"I swear I'm going to start shooting if someone doesn't start giving us answers!" Jack stood up, but stopped as Sam tugged his arm. Turning, he watched Thor touch push buttons on his scanner.

"Major Carter is with child," Thor simply announced as Jack gaped at the alien.

"She can't be," Janet interjected. "Her HCG levels are completely normal."

"Like Colonel O'Neill, the child is not entirely human," Thor explained.

"What?" Jack asked alarmed. "I'm human!" He looked at Sam. "I'm human, right?"

"You are 99% human," Thor told him, "and 1% Ancient."

"But the Ancients were human," General Hammond interjected.

"Not entirely," Thor pressed some more buttons on his scanner and placed it directly on Sam's stomach. "They were genetically similar, yes, which allowed them to create offspring with humans. As you know, Colonel O'Neill is one of their descendants who carry a significant amount of their genome. That makes him not entirely human."

"Wait a second," Janet said shaking her head, "that shouldn't make the pregnancy undetectable."

"I agree," Thor said. "This child appears to have additional DNA markers. I believe the Naquada in Major Carter's blood may be a cause."

"How about Goa'uld?" Sam said quietly. "If I was already pregnant when Ba'al tried to make me a host," she shuddered at the memory and the implication.

"That might explain these readings," Thor said.

"The child carries human, Ancient, Tok'ra, and Goa'uld DNA," T'Mar said drawing everyone's attention. "She is truly a unique being."

 _You're pregnant,_ Jack's voice shook in Sam's mind. She could feel his disbelief and fear.

 _I'm pregnant_ , she replied, placing her hand on her stomach as she heard a tiny giggle in her mind. As she saw Jack's eyes widen, realized he'd heard the sound, too, a wave of fierce protectiveness poured over her.

—POV—

"I need answers, now" Sam's tone left no room for argument as she stared at T'Mar. "Start talking."

"My birth name is Jacob Charles," T'Mar came to stand in front of her and Jack. "The child you carry within you is, or will be," he gently chuckled, "my mother."

"That means Sam and I are—" Jack felt his throat constrict.

"My grandparents," T'Mar smiled gently at them.

"So you are from the future," Daniel said, causing three sets of eyes to turn toward him.

"Yes, Grandpa Dan," T'Mar said, "I'm from roughly fifty years in your future."

"Grandpa Dan," Daniel half-whispered, half-groaned, clearly unsure what to think.

"Fifty years," Sam said shocked, as she and Jack tried to wrap their heads around that bit of information.

"I was born when my mother was twenty-five-years-old, and I turned twenty-five two days before I left my time," T'Mar explained. "I'm named after my great-grandfather and the brother she never met."

Jack fought against the emotions that swarmed him at the reference to Charlie. How unfair that his son was going to have a half-sister that he'd never meet, but in some odd way it was like he lived on in the man standing before him. He sensed Sam's concern for him, and send her a mental caress, letting her know he would be alright.

"I assume you didn't come fifty years into the past just to meet us," Sam said. Jack envied his wife's ability to compartmentalize so easily— leave it to her to focus on the logic of the situation.

"That would be a correct assumption," T'Mar's smile faded. "I'm here on a mission to save the universe."

"Of course you are," Jack scoffed. "You're an O'Neill."

"Actually, my mom married a Jackson, so my full name is Jacob Charles O'Neill-Jackson, but that's another story," T'Mar continued before anyone could interject. "When I was ten, an alien race known as the Chimera invaded Earth. They killed three-quarters of the population within the first week, including my father. The planet, led by the SGC launched a counter-attack. In the event that they were unsuccessful, my mother had a backup plan. Me."

"I take it the counter-attack failed," Jack said stoically. They'd learned the hard way to only mess with past events if absolutely necessary—a lesson he was positive they'd ultimately taught or would teach their daughter.

"It did," T'Mar's usual upbeat facade fell away and Jack ached at the pain he saw in the younger man's eyes. "I watched everyone I love die."

"I'm sorry," Sam reached out and grabbed his hand. Jack didn't acknowledge the odd feelings he had watching his wife comfort his grandson. It was surreal.

"My mother was adamant that the reason we lost the war was due to the extinction of the Asgard," T'Mar said. Every eye in the room turned to Thor.

"The Asgard will soon be extinct unless we find a cure," he confirmed.

"I've here to ensure that cure is born in time."


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: This was a tough chapter to write. I'm still not completely satisfied with it. There's a lot of science stuff because I like to loosely base my fiction on actual theories. If it gets too sciencey, you can skip to the last POV marker and get the main info for the story.

"Our daughter?" Sam felt Jack stiffen next to her as she spoke. The rest of the group had quietly filed out of the room, giving the _family_ time to talk. Thor, in his odd Asgard way had seemed surprised, but hastily beamed back onto his ship to complete further analysis on Sam's scans. "Our daughter will save the Asgard? How?"

_She's special_

"Mom figured it out," T'Mar said proudly. "While she was pregnant with me, she isolated the gene that tied human physiology and Asgard evolution together."

"She must be a brilliant scientist," Sam smiled at the thought.

"As brilliant as you are in theoretical astro-physics, mom's equally as brilliant in theoretical genetics," he said. "She'll literally write the book."

"So she had or will have, the gene?" Jack asked, but Sam could feel his hesitation. He didn't like the idea of their daughter's future being predetermined.

"No," T'Mar said. "Not yet."

"But you said—" Jack rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the frustration.

"Let me start from the beginning," T'Mar held out his hands. "Trust me."

As they reached out, each taking a hand, the room slowly dissolved, replaced with a colorful shimmery veil.

"Where are we?" Sam breathed at the beauty around her. The colors blended together until she was unable to differentiate where one began and the other ended. The only other time she'd seen something similar was when T'Mar had shown them the shimmering city before Ba'al captured them.

_Welcome to the edge of the anti-universe_ , T'Mar thought to them.

_How are you doing this?_ Jack asked, in awe of the beauty as well.

_As family, we're connected_ , T'Mar explained. _Your bond is so much more than just a telepathic link forged by technology, it's the beginning of the next phase in human evolution._

Releasing their hands, the colors shimmered away as the room reformed around them.

"What in the hell was that?" Jack asked, regaining his bearings.

"That was the beginning of everything," T'Mar said. "Before the universe, before the infinite parallel-universes, there existed a single anti-universe."

"I read about the anti-universe theory," Sam said, her eyes wide. "Some Canadian physicists hypothesized that a mirror image of the universe exists, but is made up almost entirely of antimatter, hence an anti-universe. But they could never account for the existence of multiple parallel worlds."

"They are partially correct," T'Mar smiled, "this universe, all of its parallels, is actually the mirror; a fractured mirror."

"One mirror image, broken into an infinite number of pieces, each piece reflecting the same image, but never quite the same way as originally intended," Sam looked at Jack. "Oh my god, that's brilliant. It accounts for the small discrepancies among the parallel worlds we've discovered and aligns it within the theory of super symmetry!"

"Exactly," T'Mar said. "Genius as always."

"Yes she is," Jack said softly. "But what does this have to do with us, with our daughter?"

"You and Samantha are the start of something amazing. The bond you share is actually a genetic shift in your DNA; one that you'll pass onto your daughter," T'Mar explained. "You also pass on the genetic memories of the Goa'uld and Tok'ra, but don't worry," he quickly added, "she won't have detailed memories of the atrocities they've committed, more of a general knowledge of the important stuff. Jack, of course, passes on his Ancient gene to her."

"Well all of that makes sense," Sam admitted, "but how does that save the Asgard?"

"I'm getting to that," T'Mar paused, as if collecting his thoughts. "Daniel is my grandfather."

Sam's eyes jerked to Jack's at that unexpected bit of information.

"His son will become my father—"

"Wait a minute, Daniel doesn't have a son!" Jack looked at him quizzically.

"Not yet," T'Mar agreed.

Jack opened his mouth flustered, then snapped it shut. "He's not even dating anybody!"

"You're missing the point," T'Mar sighed dramatically. "Daniel's ascended knowledge is passed to his son, who passes it on to—"

"You," Sam said, the pieces finally falling into place. "You not only have the abilities of the Ancients, you have the ascended knowledge as well."

"Plus all of the Goa'uld and Tok'ra stuff hanging out in your head," Jack added. At their shocked expressions he puffed out his chest. "Hey I'm listening; I know things. Those ancient abilities come from me, remember."

"You're right," T'Mar laughed, "and all of that _stuff_ , coupled with the genetic bond, makes me the next big leap in Human-Ancient evolution. It makes me genetically similar to the Asgard's ancestors. Unfortunately, my time spent in the anti-universe has eroded my peptide markets. Thor can't use my genes to manufacture a cure, but my mom believed he could use it as a blueprint for altering the stem cells from her."

—POV—

"Wow," Jack said sharing a look with Sam. That's some genetic leap. "But if you're so advanced, why weren't you able to stop the Chimera in the beginning?" He asked, causing T'Mar's mood to sour instantly.

"The Chimera are the original beings; born and evolved within the anti-universe," T'Mar turned his back, pacing in agitation. "Until they sensed my presence, they never bothered with our side. They attacked us because of me; they discovered what I would be capable of doing." Whirling back to face them, he waved his hand and an image materialized in front of them.

_"Mom," a young boy cried over the body of a dark-blonde woman, "please mommy, don't leave me, please wake up." His tears streamed down his cheeks, falling in the scorched earth all around. The woman's face was covered in blood, her eyes staring lifeless._

_"Why?!" The child screamed at two non-humanoid aliens as they slowly approached. The intent to kill was evident in their movements. "Why are you doing this?!"_

_As the creatures leapt into the air, a wave of energy exploded out of the boy, burning the aliens in midair. With graceless movements, they tumbled to the ground, their bodies as lifeless as the woman's._

_Still weeping, the boy placed his hand on the woman's chest and screamed. His palm began glowing with the same color as the energy wave. With a deep gasp, the woman sat up, her eyes wildly darting around, settling on the boys shocked face._

_"Jacob," she hugged him tightly, "oh baby."_

_"Mom," he threw himself into her arms as the scene shimmered into nothingness._

"That was you," Sam didn't try to prevent her tears from falling, "and our daughter." She felt Jack's hand reach over her stomach, resting gently against where their daughter grew. His other hand gripped hers like a vice as he struggled to collect himself.

"I told you before that when I was ten I watched everyone I loved die," a tear glistened on T'Mar's cheek.

"Your love for your mom…," Sam placed her hand over Jack's on her stomach as her muscles fluttered.

"The Chimera were the catalyst for unlocking the powers inside me," he confirmed. "They created the thing they'd set out to destroy," he shook his head in disgust. "Once they'd realized their mistake, they became obsessed with correcting it. Over the next 15 years, mom and I built a resistance, recruited spies, and planned a counter attack."

"Which failed," Jack ground out.

"It failed spectacularly," T'Mar said quietly. "Not only did they realize I was still alive, but they discovered there is another parallel universe where my existence is possible."

"The Chimera want destroy everything now, don't they?" Jack asked, drawing a startled look from T'Mar.

"Yes they do," he admitted. "They want to go back to just having the anti-universe and nothing else. They dont just want to destroy this universe, they want to eradicate them all."

—POV—

"Can you run that by me again, Colonel?" General Hammond asked wide-eyed.

"The aliens that T'Mar is trying to stop are going to wipe out everything, sir. All parallel universes, all versions of you, me, Carter, Daniel," Jack waved his hands around, "yada, yada—you get the picture."

"Why?" Daniel asked, uttering his first words since Jack had told him T'Mar was his biological grandson. That Grandpa Dan comment hadn't been a bad joke after all.

"Carter and I are special," he shared a half-smile with her, "and our family is going to be even more so."

"According to T'Mar," Sam added, "there are only two parallel universes where Colonel O'Neill and I are capable of forming the necessary mental bond to allow T'Mar to be born with these abilities at all. This one and one where our," she motioned to her and Jack, "clones are currently still in high school."

"Your clones?" General Hammond raised an eyebrow. "I thought Colonel O'Neill was the only one who was cloned by the Asgard?"

"In this version of the universe, yes," Jack said, "but apparently there's a mini-me running around with a mini-Sam. I don't completely understand it myself," Jack sighed.

"What we're saying, sir," Sam gave Jack a mental nudge, "is we can't afford to ignore T'Mar's warning. He's got one shot at resetting the timeline to ensure the Asgard survive. Apparently, our daughter was adamant that our combined forces would prevent the Chimera from ever leaving the anti-universe."

"Do you believe him?" Hammond asked.

"We do," Sam and Jack answered at the same time.

"Very well," Hammond stood up. "I want a complete DNA profile on T'Mar. If his claimed genetic makeup is proved true, which I'm assuming it is, then I'm authorizing SG-1 to work with him on determining the feasibility of saving the Asgard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HUGE thank you to Mini_Goat for allowing me to mention Sammy and Jon in my story.
> 
> The anti-universe is an actual theoretical physics theory postulated by two physicists in Canada. I greatly simplified the theory for my story (and added the fractured mirror part), but the foundation is real and credited to them.
> 
> I promise that's the extent of the theoretical physics lesson within the story! I just wanted you to know why T'Mar is so powerful and who he is up against.


End file.
